Harry Potter and Second the Careless Whispers
by vgealtach
Summary: The newest chapter of Harry Potter's life at Hogwarts, will he triumph over the adversity of a school united against him? I mean probably, it was Polina's fault to begin with. The second HP book in the Rejection of Canon series, with x-over elements, encompassing the second and third year of Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

_Prologue, aka Not Necessary to Read_

"I'm gonna do it."

Zaine looked up from his breakfast and stared at the one who spoke, still chewing on the poppyseed muffin he had taken a rather large bite out of. "Uh…what?"

"I, as in me, am gonna do it," HE said again. "Ya know, the new and improved plan we have been discussing lately?"

A moment of silence as the blond swallowed. But it was soon followed by a look of horror as the levity of HIS words finally dawned on the professor, eyes downcast to the muffin he was enjoying just a moment before. "_What have I done_?" Zaine whispered aloud, his words echoing in his office like they were trapped in a void.

The mysterious other person in the room rolled his eyes, dispelling the quote as if it were steam rising from a fresh cup of coffee. "Relax, _you've_ done nothing. _I've_ decided to scale up and change the whole thing."

With a sigh, Zaine looked over at the person with a slightly less horrified expression. "Okay, fine. What're we doing _this_ time?"

HE smiled, all teeth. "Magic; more specifically, adding _more_ magic. Even _more_ specifically, I've decided to revamp the entirety of the universe to include systems of magic from other franchises."

Zaine raised an eyebrow. "…That sounds…actually kinda interesting. What systems are we talking about here?"

IT laughed. "I'm _so_ glad you asked." He brought out various charts and graphs from…somewhere. "To start: the Dragon Age franchise. I'm importing the specialization classes from the three games."

"DA:O DLC included?" Zaine asked.

"Obviously," the figure rolled his eyes. "Also obviously, the mage specializations can't be directly imported without adding in The Fade, so I'm not doing that. Instead, I'm altering the descriptions of the classes to fit in with the HP Universe, and we'll bring in Vgatahvi to teach some Intro classes for the years beyond. I'll email you the basic descriptions, and we'll put it up as a resource guide."

Zaine nodded, totally on board so far; pretty reasonable.

The figure cackled I glee upon seeing its cohort so intrigued. "Next up is _Elder Scrolls_!"

Zaine blanched. "What. The _fuck_. We're adding _Daedra_?! Dammit, dude, I'm an editor of sorts, not a miracle worker!"

"Heh," HE laughed. "Not the gods, but the system of _doing_ a quest for the gods and getting a magic item. That'll add a bit of work for me…researching Celtic deities and the like, but I'll have a bit of fun with it regardless."

"Thank the Muffins…" Zaine breathed a sigh of relief. "That sounds much more reasonable...Wait…are the Celts somewhat sane?"

"Not so far," The figure smiled. "There's this one guy who paid some dude with ham and bacon to fight some other dude. FYI, the dude that fought was disguised as the first dude."

The blond deadpanned. "I did not follow that at all, and that frightens me."

IT waved him off. "I exaggerated for comedic effect, and that was only the description I got from _one_ website, don't worry about it."

Zaine rubbed his temples. "Alright, I'll take your word for it, even if you've been proven batshit insane. What's next?"

Now it was the figure's turn to deadpan. "You _really_ should learn not to tempt me like that, because I'm adding in Fairy Logic."

Zaine froze. "I say again. What. The. _FUCK_?!" He screamed.

"Yup." IT smacked his lips together for drama. "Specifically, the Fairy Logic from Tyranny; the 'Power of Belief' as it were."

"_How_…," Zaine managed to croak, "…the fuck does that work?"

"Don't worry about it, it'll all work out." The figure smiled comfortingly.

Zaine whimpered.

From a corner of the office, Draco Malfoy raised his hand. "Why am I here?"

The figure sighed. "We've _told_ you, we need you here so we can say this is a Harry Potter fic."

Draco frowned. He never should have accepted the invitation for dinner from Polina. Her Uncles were _always_ like this. "Polina, can you pass the Butterbeer?"

Polina gave her own frown, having been distracted by potatoes. "Draco, you know I don't like it when you drink that stuff. It's indicative of a larger problem, and my Husbando will _not_ be a useless layabout!"

The Malfoy boy sighed again. "I need something to help me deal with your family."

Suddenly, a glass of Butterbeer was shoved in his face. "I understand completely." IT answered. Slowly, HE then frowned. "Hey, did we even mention who I am?"

Zaine scratched his chin in thought, eyes looking up at the ceiling. "No…why didn't we?"

IT snapped his fingers. "I probably wanted our fans to know we aren't dead yet and show that Zaine and I are sorta self-inserts of a different nature, that being we are ideal versions of ourselves, but still not quite the same. We kept my identity secret because I'm a character that _will_ be introduced, just…later in the story. End of the second year, early third year tops."

Zaine nodded. "That makes sense. Sorta." He chuckled, "Man, this is Deadpool levels of meta, isn't it?"

The figure nodded. "A little bit more, I think. The writer _and_ editor are addressing the audience semi-directly. Not so much breaking the fourth wall, more like finding a window and climbing through it to have brunch with the readers."

Draco frowned. "I need more Butterbeer, this whole shebang is somehow starting to make sense."

Zaine took his cup away from him quickly yet casually. "If it made sense, you need _less_."

Polina raised her hand. "There's just one thing I want to know…"

The figure motioned for her to continue.

"Why do I remember Zaine sending us back home and coming back to a whole new world?"

The figure smiled maliciously. "Oh, that. Don't you worry your small little head about it, and never mention it again. It never happened, consider it an AU."

Polina sighed. Uncle Mysterious Figure was crazier than the rest of them combined; probably a result of his in-progress origin story, which was the whole reason he took a vacation in the middle of his job as Ministry employee.

"Hey, since this is a prologue, shouldn't we…I don't know, _do something_?" Zaine said sarcastically.

"Point taken, you sarcastic asshole." The figure snarked.

"_Arsehole_," Zaine snarked back. "This is Britain."

"Stuff it _arsehole_."

Polina banged her fist on the table. "GET ON WITH IT!"

The mysteriously mysterious figure shrugged. "Meh. I'll do it next week."

Draco looked up from his pudding dessert. "Next week, as in the week Harry's coming over to visit?"

"Obviously, what kinda lazy dialogue is that though?" HE raised an eye. "Exposition sucks, who cares about us sitting around the table talking about stuff when we could show everyone that stuff is _being done_. Fuck, I'm so glad I'm getting back into my hobby again in a couple days, research and general planning is _boring_."

Polina threw a roll at the figure. "Don't complain, you would've never thought about making this a crossover thing without a break!"

Draco swayed in place, a cup of Butterbeer in one hand and a banana-nut muffin in the other. "Or," he slurred. "If you _did_ start imma-immedediat-right away, it would've been too late to start changing stuffs!"

Zaine gasped and glared at Polina. "Niece! You _know_ better than to let the lightweights eat my specialty muffins!"

The figure laughed. "Yeah, this is gonna be fun." 

**Harry Potter and Second the Careless Whispers**

**Chapter One:**

**Harry's Day Off**

The Tonks house arose as it usually did in the mornings, with Harry battling a house elf for the right to make his own breakfast while the rest refusing to acknowledge existence until coffee. It was only recently that the regular routine included the hooting of another owl. The Tonks owl, amusedly named Algol and known for pecking _everyone_ for no _reason_, was currently cowering in the corner due to Hedwig being an owl to NOT be trifled with.

With a sigh, Ted looked over at Harry. "I don't know whether or not to be proud of you, you know." He took a sip from his coffee. "On the one hand, you've managed to save Hogwarts from certain doom; a resoundingly good thing, to be sure. On the other hand, you've endangered your life to do so. And that's a bad thing, a very very _bad thing_."

Andromeda set her cup down. "Harry, for doing the bad thing, you're grounded. For doing the good thing, your sentence is over. Problem solved, Ted. Go make another pot of coffee so I can deal with the heartwarming feeling of knowing I raised Harry right, and the headache of knowing I raised him _oh so wrong_."

Ted sighed again, then did as his wife bade him too.

Nym giggled into her cup. And she thought _her_ schooling antics were intense!

Harry rolled his eyes. "It's not like I _meant_ to 'save the school.' The whole plan was to throw things at the bad guy and run away screaming! Things just…took a weird turn is all."

"A 'weird turn' he says." Nym snorted. "Back in my day, a 'weird turn' was when you bumped into a professor after you set up a prank for the git who got too big fer his britches."

Harry smiled softly. He loved his family, he truly did. "I'm leaving you all." He declared.

Andromeda raised an eyebrow. "About bloody time, have you got everything packed?"

Harry nodded.

"Do remember us fondly, dear cousin," Nym whispered.

"Mind your arse on the way out," Ted said as he brought over a pot of coffee for the family.

Harry giggled. "I'll see you all again when it's time for shopping, and I'll tell Polina's family thanks for letting me stay over."

Andromeda huffed. "Dash my hopes that _one_ of the two children in this house moves out anytime soon, will you? No dessert for the next eight hours."

"This is me," Nym frowned at her mother, "really feeling the love. So thankful."

Harry giggled and finished his breakfast eagerly. "Can I go over to Polina's now?" He was finally going to meet more of her mysterious uncles! Well, he knew who they were, but he didn't _know_ them. But he wanted to; maybe if he spent long enough in their presence, he'd catch whatever it was that allowed Polina to be so _competent_.

Andromeda smiled at him. "Yes, you can just leave your poor family behind for a family you don't even know yet. We'll be fine, honest."

Nym forced herself to start crying. Such a good girl, helping her dear mother with these games… Harry ran out of the room, and thus did not see Nym start crying. And even if he did, he wouldn't have cared since she used that gag too much when he was younger.

As soon as he entered the Floo Room, he lunged for the powder and threw it in the fireplace. But then he realized that nothing was happening, so he lit the fire first and then threw more powder in the fireplace. "The Second Most Magnificent Manor!" He stated as clearly as he could. Before shutting his eyes and tucking in his elbows, a deep breath inhaling into his lungs before leaping headfirst into the Floo.

* * *

Only to fall headfirst into a bear hug from Polina.

"Harry! SO glad you could make it! I can't wait to show you around!" She let him go only to drag him off towards the door. Harry didn't even try to resist.

When the duo entered the house proper, the first thing he noticed was how…homey…it was. The first time Polina stated that her house was 'The Second Most Magnificent Manor,' his first thought was that it was sure to be extremely opulent. But…it wasn't! There were comfy chairs around the living room, each facing each other and with a varying number of chairs to ensure that no matter how many people there were in the room, someone was always going to talk with someone. In each corner of this room, however, a single lone chair and a bookcase stood. For…some reason.

Polina held him upright and began her 'tour guide' speech: "Obviously, first is the living room! Each corner bookcase has a selection of fiction, non-fiction, magical tomes, and science! All the science. That corner is mine." She gripped his arm and glared at him so hard he felt like spontaneous combustion would feel less intense. "Moving on!" She happily declared and dragged him off to another room. "This, this is the dining room. You may eat here. But under _no_ circumstances are you to enter the kitchen. That is beyond our borders, and you must never go there, Harry. All that lies in that area is pain. Pain and Uncle Vic's Eggnog stash." She said with such solemn seriousness that Harry felt himself nod in agreement even though he had no idea what she meant by that.

After that, she showed him a few more rooms which were off-limits, which included all of her family's rooms. He must not have been paying much attention, because he couldn't remember all of the names that she said. What a horrible guest he was.

"And with that, the tour is complete!" Polina said with a smile.

Harry smiled back, it was impossible not to like this girl, seriously. "It's very nice. One thing I noticed though, where's the guest rooms?"

Polina giggled. "We don't have a guestroom; if anyone comes over and they need a bed, they just stay in the room of whoever invited them over in the first place. If someone wants their own room, then they have to literally petition the fam for a Right To Chill Whenever and get their own room. It's a lengthy process. We…we aren't a very sociable group, you see."

Harry looked at her completely gobsmacked.

Polina pouted and folded her arms. "Okay, we _are_ but…well it can be hard for us to get along with most people well enough that they can spend the night. Draco is _literally_ my fiancé, and we don't have a room for him yet." She frowned in thought. "Actually, it takes a long time for all of us to really open ourselves up to the world. It's why despite our family being so very _large_, you only see a few of us at a time….even with the few new fam members being brought in here and there."

Harry…supposed that made sense; if the house were shared between many people, then there'd probably need to be a majority vote to add rooms to the home. And then there were the family members themselves he…Wait…

"New family members?"

Polina blinked. "Hm? Oh yeah, that. Our family is huge, and so we have to wait on the others to get our message on this place and eventually arrive. Uncle Zaine mentioned, for example, that he has a little sister who is coming over soon. Which means I get a _new_ auntie!" The raven-haired girl jumped up and down in excitement.

Her squeal raised in pitch as she was lifted off of the floor into the arms of a tall and portly man, muscled like a blacksmith. Though, his attire said otherwise: a snazzy black button up shirt with a rural native necklace laced with feathers, stones, and beads instead of a tie. Gray slacks that fit comfortably with a snakeskin belt complete with a large silver buckle that looked like a gear. A slightly tan trench coat comfortably worn on top of all the layers, accented with polished dark leather shoes and a leather cowboy hat with an animal skull adorned on the front. His short natural bone white hair held a single curl on his forehead that resembled that one comic book superhero that wore a red cape and had that big S on his chest. Going down his cheeks were equally white sideburns that gave a stark contrast to the bright green eyes that were currently eyeing the wild Polina in his arms.

"What do we have here? Why, it is my wildling of a niece!" A light Italian accent shouted in Polina's ear, the necklace of rural native animal skulls and obsidian arrow points and multi-colored stones the bearer of the voice wore jingling. "Truer words were never spoken! I've talked to He-Who-Demands-Eggnog, and he told me he won't leave the house for another year!" Even his laugh was boisterous.

"Uncle Vee!" Polina tore at his arms like a wildcat. "Put me down, or you'll lose these arms!"

Said Uncle laughed and dropped Polina on the floor. "How many times have you attempted and how many have you managed?" He asked with a wry grin, before tapering off as his eyes landed on Harry. "Polina, you didn't say we would have a _guest_." He frowned in confusion, though his frown turned curious as he eyed Harry up and down in a quizzical yet observing manner. "He's got the scrawny look, but is lacking the ferret feel of the one you've been bringing around lately."

Polina kicked him in the shin, to no effect whatsoever. "This is _Harry Potter_, Uncle Vee, and he's my guest, so _be nice_." She venomously whispered the last part of her sentence.

"Ah! Where are my manners, you may refer to me as Vgatahvi Techno, or simply Vee if you like." He said with an overly large smile. So far, this one seemed even more cheerful and approachable than Zaine even with his tank built physique.

Harry nodded politely. Polina was enthusiastic, but the sheer _energy_ of this man was throwing him off. Frankly, he couldn't speak. He felt terrible for this, but he really hoped he wouldn't have to spend a lot of time with this man. He didn't think his poor heart could take it.

Vee smiled ferally as if he could read the boy's mind. "I'll be joining you all at Hogwarts this year as one of your Professors."

Harry whimpered.

"That's the spirit, boy! Get yourself ready for a whole butt-ton of learning and other shit, cause we are gonna go on a journey through the mind and spirit of true science!" Vee laughed maliciously. Then he coughed a few times. "Excuse me, I am sometimes overcome with the feeling of being trapped in my own head and all its musings. So how's things?" His manner abruptly turned jovial.

Polina rolled her eyes. "Things are progressing, and the stuff is happening." She grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him outside.

Vee blinked before giving a merry wave. "Right, well I was off to my lab anywhose after I snagged a beer. You both stay sane and out of trouble, especially you, Polina! If you got a problem, lather it in barbeque sauce! Always helps!"

Once her uncle was out of sight, the girl huffed. "Sorry about him, he's…kinda odd. But he's generally a nice guy, as long as you don't break his stuff." She shuddered, lost in memory. "Don't break his stuff…"

The duo decided to spend the day doing mundane things like yard work.

"Catch the pixies!" Polina screamed from somewhere.

"They are too many, and we are too few!" Harry cried back, armed with a wooden spoon and a trash can lid.

"Fight on my brother!"

"Pixie demons take you, s_i_s_t_e_r_!"

They had a picnic.

"Where's the PB&J?" Harry asked while digging around a basket.

"Dig deep, past the mashed potatoes," Polina answered, munching on some chips.

"It's up to my arms, woman!" He snapped.

"Then shove your head in there!" She retorted.

They played games.

"Draw four!" Polina shouted over her fan of cards held in her hand in a vice grip.

"Fool, you've activated my trap card, Greedy Barrell!" Harry shouted back, flipping one of the cards on the table over.

"Double the fool are you, now I can summon The Forbidden One!" The girl grinned in triumph.

"Reverse!" Harry grinned back.

"Ballocks!"

They took a nap.

Serenity and quiet filled the dining room where Polina and Harry were snoozing, one laying under the table as the other was draped over it. Nothing seemed to wake either of them, even with the random noises that echoed throughout the manor and the casual appearance of Shine Azure as he walked in, saw what was going on, and was about to scare one of the kids awake when they were saved by the timely appearance of a nurse Harry had sometimes seen back at the hospital wing in Hogwarts. Seeing what Shine was up to, she had dragged the rapscallion out by his ear, all the while muttering something about him using his talents for helping the new family member move in instead of harassing young adults in need of sleep.

The peace continued.

"_WHOSE HAND WAS I HOLDING_?!" Harry suddenly sat up and screamed at the top of his lungs, head banging on the underside of the dining table. His gaze shifted from the underside of the table to his hand, and he relaxed in an instant. "Oh, it's just a ghoul, I was worried for a minute…"

Silence resumed.

"Wait WHAT?!"

They talked about kid stuff.

"I'm telling you, John Major will usher in a Glorious Brittania!"

"As if, his proposals are weak and he seems a craven, we must rally behind Neil Kinnock!"

"Ever the fool, democratic socialism will fail, and this so-called 'social justice' is merely a fad!"

"You…well…at least I don't have liberal democratic tendencies!"

"…too far…"

"Yeah, that was unfair of me, truce?"

"I'd sooner die, but yes."

Yes, all quite normal activities that any child could replicate at their normal home. And the duo was having a rather grand day. That is…until Harry saw a pair of eyes in the bushes, glaring at Polina.

* * *

**[A/N]**: Man, it feels weird to get back into this after a month off…anyway, if I'm being honest, don't expect this book to be the best, we're condensing two years into this thing so we can move on to the fourth book where things will get intense. Personal note, I don't know how I feel about ko-fi, so I might disregard my ethical stance and make a account…integrity doesn't pay our bills…

**[E/N]**: So, Author…it has come down to this. Mano a mano, man to man. Just you, and me, _and less than a day to edit this chapter?!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Harry Potter and Second the Careless Whispers**

**Chapter Two:**

**House Elf Horror**

Polina gasped upon being the first to see said eyes. But then that surprise turned to a look of annoyance in two seconds flat. "Dobby! What are you doing in the bushes?! Get out here and introduce yourself to Harry!"

The house elf walked out of the bushes grumbling, glaring at Polina. The first thing Harry noticed about this house elf was that it was wearing a pillowcase. Odd, the only house elves who don't wear traditional 'servant clothing' are the even _more_ traditional elves; the ones who honestly believe that if they are given clothes, that means they are fired. And that every single minor infraction is deserving of draconian punishments…

Wait a minute…_draco_nian…

"Is that the _Malfoy's_ house elf?" Harry asked, hoping against hope that the universe believes in puns as much as he does.

Polina looked shocked. "I…yes, how did you know?"

Harry smiled gleefully and said, "It was merely a punderful stroke of luck, my dear."

She growled in response. Dobby meanwhile had smoothed out his pillowcase, pride evident in his face. He coughed to gain the children's attention. "Dobby has something to tell Messer Harry Potter, and the Bad Evil Mean Lady." Another glare to Polina, who rolled her eyes for the second or third time (Harry had lost count).

"Bad Mean Evil Lady?" Harry was scared to ask, but curious into what detailed Dobby dubbing someone with a title with too many synonyms.

"I tried to talk Mister and Misses Malfoy into giving Dobby a uniform, to show off their wealth and stuff. But he," she pointed at the house elf, "didn't like that, and then tried to punish himself for 'bad thoughts against the Master and Mistress.' So I made everything he tried to hit himself with soft and fluffy. It seems like he hasn't forgiven me for that."

Dobby proceeded to then jump up and down while pulling on his ears in frustration. "Dobby _cannot _wear _clothes_ like an _equal _and Dobby _had_ to punish himself for contradicting Master and Mistress! Bad Evil Mean Lady be trying to make Dobby_ be a bad elf_!"

"Oi!" Polina shouted. "We don't use house elves here, so I just wasn't used to the etiquette! I may be bad, I _may_ be evil, and I most certainly am _mean_, but I'm too young to be a lady!"

The two then devolved into arguments and childish name-calling. This went on for about two hours, during which Harry left for a bit only to come back with snacks. Then Dobby got _creative_ with his name-calling, which Harry fervently copied down for later use. It all ended up with Polina finally getting fed up with the elf and crossing her arms.

"Why are you even _here,_ Dobby?" She huffed, and Harry swore he saw steam coming out of her nostrils.

Dobby stopped abruptly and blinked, then smacked himself on the head. "Dobby was so angry when he saw the Bad Evil Mean Lady, he forgot. Dobby remembers now." He turned to face Harry. "Dobby has to warn Harry Potter. He mustn't go to Hogwarts this year! There are those who wish him harm…"

Now it was Harry's turn for eye-rolling. "They wished me harm _last_ year, too. _This _year I plan on taking on some self-study stuff so it doesn't happen again. I can't study if I'm not _at_ Hogwarts, no other library compares in England, and I can't really ask my family for a portkey to another country just so I can spend a year abroad…wait…" He looked at Polina with a quizzical expression. "_Can_ I do that?"

Polina frowned and shook her head. "There are exchange programs for 5th years and up."

Harry turned back to Dobby. "Well, there ya go, I can't go anywhere else _but_ Hogwarts."

Dobby's eyes watered. "But…but he'll be _in danger_!"

"Oh, come off it ya daft idjit!" Polina snapped. "_If_ he didn't go to Hogwarts, that means that the only protection he has is his caregivers. At least at Hogwarts, he has an entire support staff, friends, and a bloody army of house elves who would take umbrage at the _idea_ of someone harming their charges! Not to mention all of the security that Hogwarts has!" Dobby looked shocked, but Polina kept going. "And even _if_ the threat was an inside job, do you have any idea what happens to a person hit with over _100_ spells? Even if they aren't the _same_?" Dobby frowned. "Yeah, that's right, Slytherin may not have the best rep, but _we look out for our own_. If anything happens, _135_ spells _will_ hit something. And that's discounting the _other_ houses."

The house elf looked thoughtful. "Dobby has not considered this…Harry Potter is most certainly in danger, but the danger is _lessened_ at Hogwarts." He then started sobbing. "Dobby's plan to make Harry Potter not go to Hogwarts has failed!" He wailed.

"Plan?" Harry asked. "What plan? Nothing's happened to me so far…" In fact, nothing at _all_ had happened to him. He did spend most of his time writing letters to Hermione and Draco, Nevile and even Ron as well, but…well nothing else happened. The letters haven't been returned, but it's not like he has no _other_ way to contact them. Like phones. Or, you know, _showing up in person_.

"Dobby stole your letters!" The house elf's wailing raised an octave.

Harry raised an eyebrow. Slowly. "I sent them each _one_ letter so far. When Hedwig came back looking like she got in a scuffle, I just assumed that they had defenses against owls or some overzealous neighborhood watch thing. They didn't know, and we just exchanged floo addresses and used that."

This made Dobby kick the ground. "The She-Devil was a fierce opponent, but Dobby won in the end…_by stealing the letters after they've been delivered._" He muttered under his breath.

"Ah…well that's fine, I guess." Harry shrugged. Letters or no letters, nothing was going to stop him from seeing his friends.

Polina frowned. "I guess that sufficiently explains why Dobby stealing the letters was irrelevant…but why did it take so long for you to _care_, Harry?"

Said boy just shrugged. "It didn't stop me from hanging out with you guys, and nothing worth mentioning happened. Hanging out with everyone and doin' stuff is literally all I've been doing."

Dobby groaned. "Dobby's plan was pointless from the start, it seems. Dobby is going to go back to his family. Goodbye Bad Evil Mean Lady, goodbye Harry Potter." There was a popping sound, and the elf was no longer there.

"Well…" Harry stood up. "I have to go take a leak."

Polina flopped onto the grass nonchalantly. Though, she seemed much more chipper with the house elf gone. "Third hallway down, second door on the left."

Harry nodded and started walking inside. On the walls were masterful paintings, ranging from copies of Starry Night to portraits of what he _assumed_ to be occupants of the house. He was so caught up in his exploration of the house that he opened the _third_ door on the left, marked 'Forbidden.' Inside was a single occupant and many medical devices, and Harry's blood froze. Red hair. Glazed, but _green_ eyes. He looked at the nameplate on her bed.

Lily Potter. Alive.

Harry screamed.

Polina burst through the door, and when she saw what made Harry scream, _she _screamed.

Harry turned to Polina, pointed, and screamed questioningly.

Polina screamed in the negative.

Harry grasped his head and screamed.

Polina screamed and shrugged.

Zaine walked in, and when Polina and Harry in unison kicked him in the crotch, he let out a wheezing gasp. "Gah...M-My Dragon Balls…"

Harry and Polina screamed aggressively.

The blond sighed heavily as he stood up, taking slow breaths. "I can't understand scream, you know…" His voice squeaked. Then, his attention fully turned to the one on the bed, mannerisms, and voice changing to the usual Uncle Professor Polina and Harry knew. "Oh, hey Lils! How we doin' today?" Zaine walked over and fiddled with some of the medical devices, a stethoscope and doctor coat somehow appearing on him in a split second. "The girl is Polina, my niece, and the boy is Harry Potter. Your son. …Anything?" He waved a hand in Lily's face. "Nope…nothing yet…"

Polina stopped screaming and opened her mouth. She closed it, kicked Harry in the shin so he'd stop screaming, and turned back to Zaine. "_Explain._" The command was unheeded.

Zaine fiddled with some fluids and waved his niece off, eyes focused on a chart he picked up and was currently studying.

Harry growled; that was his _mother_. She should be in a hospital! He voiced his thoughts, and Zaine huffed, still fiddling with the devices, though it was clear they were slowly chipping away at his focus.

Polina sighed. "Uncle…_please_…why? _How_?"

Zaine's good eye shifted to look at them before he turned towards the shell-shocked children. "The how is the easy part. You've probably heard more than enough about the war with Voldie, so I can thankfully skip a bit. See, we had an insider on Voldie's team. We couldn't do _much_, but we _could_ get his plans and guerrilla warfare or way into a victory every now and again." Polina nodded, and Harry growled again. The noise made Zaine hold up his hands in a peaceful manner. "I'm getting there, don't worry short stuff. Before he attacked your parents, our plant managed to get out a message, telling them that he was going to kill _you_, Harry." Harry frowned and opened his mouth, but Zaine pressed on. "No, I don't know _why_, but that wasn't the entire message. Voldie planned to kill you, and _only_ you. Your father was a pure-blood, and Voldie's message of Pure-Blood Supremacy would _weaken _if he killed him. And your mom? She was actually friends with our plant, and Voldie knew this. I mean, not that he was a plant, both a literal one or the metaphorical one...maybe. Anyways the spy was just friends with your mom. If Voldie killed her, then that would foster resentment in the plant and, well…Yeah, not a good idea."

Polina stomped her foot. "So both of Harry's parents are _alive,_ and _nobody _told _anybody_?"

Zaine shook his head. "Sadly, James is fully deceased." He glanced at Harry to gauge his reaction, but none was forthcoming. "We don't know how or why, but he is…you, and your mother were the only survivors."

"Then _why_," Harry hissed. "Is she here and not at a _hospital_ where she could get _better_?!"

The blond scoffed, an edge in his voice. "This all happened at the end of the war, boy. If we took her to a hospital, she'd be dead in a week. You hear about what happened to _Neville's_ parents?"

Harry flinched.

"Yeah." Zaine continued, "And, and I'm sorry to say this, they were pure-bloods, and that was why they _lived_. Many more didn't, Harry." He shook his head and turned back to Lily Potter's comatose state. "No, we made a tactical decision to save Lily's life, and it turned out to be the _right_ call. There were attacks on the hospitals looking for _you_, and if the Voldie's supporters found her _instead_…" He lowered his head, his voice quiet in the already still air of the room. "Let's just say I've seen what happens to those who aren't of 'pure-blood' and it wasn't pretty..."

The professor looked tired. In every sense of the word, Harry and Polina could see that all of this, and who knows what else, was taxing. And for a moment, Harry felt sorry for the blond; only a moment though, since this was the first time he had known his mother was alive and Polina's Uncle had chosen to not tell him or Polina herself. A moment was all that was needed however, as Zaine raised his head and turned to them with his usual crooked smile. "So, we took her back here and did our best to take care of her until she wakes up fully. We've been trying every non-life endangering treatment we could find, or come up with ourselves. She's better than when she started, that's for sure, but she isn't there _yet_."

Harry shook his head. "The war's been over for _years_ though…why isn't she…Why isn't my mother at a hospital now, where I could _visit_ her?" He croaked, nearly crying.

Zaine shrugged, unmoved by the emotions. "We have ten times the resources, and we can devote all of them to a single patient. Our reasoning for not letting anyone see her was because, well…look at her." He turned around and motioned to the woman, his voice rising enough to make Polina look uncomfortable. "I was friends with her back during the war, you know. She was so fiery, so full of _passion_." He snorted. "So...hard-headed. Now there's _nothing_ in her eyes, and it kills me to take care of her like this. It kills all of us. No, anyone who knew her would _hate_ this, and you deserved to have a family that wasn't confined to a bed." He turned around, staring at her for a brief second as a smaller smile crept onto his features as his voice resumed its normal octave. "Besides, she wrote, 'Don't let my baby see me like this if it happens' in her will."

Polina stepped back in shock. "She had a _will_?

"We were in a _war_, we _all_ had wills." Zaine deadpanned.

Harry frowned. It was his mother's wish, but…he didn't like it. He _hated_ it. He was raised with stories about his parents, how brave and smart and righteous…and what little memories he had of his mother, he cherished like nothing else.

"Plus," Zaine said. "Her will _also_ stated that _if_ this exact thing happened to her, we effectively had carte blanche to do 'whatever it took' to get her out, and then 'share it with the wizarding world if the solution was magic and the non-magical world if it wasn't.' She was very _particular_ in her will. She had over a hundred fuckin pages."

Harry growled. "Language!" Even if his mother was comatose, she still deserved respect.

Zaine waved him off. "Victor read the sauciest _and_ most vulgar romance novels to her to try and get at least an indignant reaction."

Harry was going to kill Victor, whoever he is.

"It worked, too; five whole twitches out of her. That or the spells he was casting…"

Harry was going to hug Victor, whoever he is.

**[A/N]**: So…kinda need to talk for a bit. First off, yeah, I brought back Harry's mom. I have a plan for her. Like I said a while ago, even if the word count is (somewhat) the same, I want the _scope_ to be bigger than canon. So there is a _big_ plan for her and a big reason _why_. Bold move, kinda cliché, but trust me. The payoff will be fantastic.

And, since I mentioned wordcount, expect chapters about this length. Previously, I tried to match JK for word count, and I think I matched it, A/N and E/N not counting. And since I'm combining the second and third books, I'm trying to make the word count shorter, compress it as much as I can.

Lastly…I'm putting up a same day that this chapter goes up. I have reasons why, but I think sharing them is kind of a dick move and makes me come off as a guilt-tripping asshole, so let's just say I kinda need the cash, so yeah…. That's a thing I'm using now.

**[E/N]**: Wow, only seven pages? I'm impressed the writer could contain himself, honestly. Definitely looking forward to getting book 2 out for you all, this one has been discussed by the writer and I for a while. On the side, I will be writing my own stuff for the Rejection of Canon-verse, including some one-shots and the first canonically non-canon our little group of shadowy individuals face! We also got other stuff being worked on, but we wanna make sure we get to a certain point before sharing it with you all.

Either way, enjoy the future developments!


	3. Chapter 3

Harry Potter and Second the Careless Whispers

Chapter Three

Bad Touch

"Uh..soo..." Polina grimaced, pushing her lunch around her plate. "Want to, I mean…want to talk about…"

Harry set down his fork. "Do I want to talk about my comatose mother that's a few rooms away from here? Of which I found out only yesterday?"

Zaine, oblivious to the mood, although it was more like _not caring_, smiled at Vgatahvi. "So, new professor gig all planned out?"

Vgatahvi grinned. "Of course! I didn't even have to _do_ anything, the previous professor left all of their notes!"

"And you are just going to keep to what they were doing?" Zaine asked, sipping a cup of coffee.

"Pfft, yeah right!" Vee laughed haughtily. "I'm adapting the hell out of it is what I'm doing! Heck, I've made the first page of notes and turned it into a homework assignment that'll last _all_ year!"

Harry's head had hit the table. Hard.

Polina sighed. "Uncles…can you just…Can you not?"

"Hrm?" Zaine looked quite dumbfounded, even as Harry's face tilted to glare at him and Vgatahvi. "What do you mean?"

"Look, this is all a bit much for Harry, and to be honest, _I'm_ kind of creeped out as well." Polina took a gulp of soda to force herself to calm down. "I know that we know _how_ and _why_, but we need time to reflect, to think to…to come to terms with it."

A woman dressed in a magenta t-shirt that was a tad too big for her body and olive green leggings gave a small cough from her seat at the table to get everyone's attention, auburn hair pulled into a taut ponytail and grayish blue eyes unblinking. Harry would very soon recognize the woman as the nurse that was helping Ms. Pomfry when he was laying in the hospital after Voldemort's defeat the first year.

"Young lady," the woman began, "this is _our_ house, and _we_ decide what happens in it. Staying here is the _best_ for Mrs. Potter, and I won't have _any_ of _either_ of your nonsense. This house is practically unassailable, and I am a registered Healer. I understand what you are going through, and I can empathize. But if I have to choose the health and safety of one of my dearest friends, and the _feelings_ of two children who will _get over it_? I know what I'm choosing. Now, both of you stop brooding, it makes you look ridiculous."

Polina and Harry shrank in on themselves. She was very intimidating. Polina finally found her voice and muttered out, "Yes Auntie Valka." And they both went back to their food.

Valka smiled to herself; younglings tend to forget about their emotions when they are being scolded, and now she just needs Zaine to make a fool of himself to lighten the mood and…

"I'm telling you, the villain was Peter Pan _all along_!" Zaine yelled out, food falling from his mouth.

Polina looked scandalized. "Uncle! Manners!" She yelled out, one hand over her chest.

Harry sighed, shook his head, and started eating again.

Valka nodded. Yep, job well done.

"Harry, my boy, I must ask you," Vgatahvi started. Valka froze, hoping he wouldn't say anything to ruin her hard work. He continued, "Have you gotten your school supplies yet?"

Harry's head shot to him, eyes wide, "Dobby!"

Polina's head shot to Harry, eyes wide, "Fiddlesticks!" She yelled.

Zaine's head shot her Polina, eyes creased. "Language!" He hissed.

Harry shook his head and spoke frantically before the conversation could derail any further, "No, no, Dobby is a house elf who stole all my letters. I forgot I was supposed to go shopping!"

Zaine stood up and glanced at the clock, frowning. "It's twelve-thirty, if we leave now, we'll just be in the crowd of late shoppers, and you'll still have the rest of today to review before you head back to your house and tell them everything."

Harry jumped out of his seat and rushed over to his coat. "Be back soon Polina, keep an eye on my mum and tell her about my school year!"

Valka sighed. "Come on, I have to do a checkup anyway, might as well hit two dementors with one Patronus." She stood up and confidently marched to her destination, Polina quick on her heels.

Vgatahvi looked at the table, confused. "Did…did they forget I was here?" He sighed, then his eyes glinted, smiling maliciously. "Oh, I'll get them for that…I do have all year after all."

Harry almost had to run with Zaine to the bank, his tiny child legs struggling to keep up with an adult's brisk walk. It was frustrating for Harry because it felt like not running was more exhausting than actually running; he had to keep a pace faster than walking but slower than running for the five minutes it took for them to floo to Diagon Ally and head to the bank.

He did feel fortunate however that the crowd of people around Flourish and Blotts included anyone who probably had to go to the bank because there were only a handful of people there and the two managed to get to a free teller immediately. Usually, the goblins would try to hamper anyone who looked like they were in a hurry, but one look from Zaine had them suppressing their urges. If only for a little while, the teller was sure he could find some obscure reason to fee the blond-haired wizard. Even if it took all day.

But Zaine and Harry were already out the door and into the Ally to get everything they needed. Which, thankfully, consisted only of books. "Okay," Zaine said to Harry, stopping outside Flourish and Blotts. "I remember the list, so all you need is _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Two_ and…Oh no." He groaned.

"What?" Harry asked, feeling very confused.

The blond sighed, facepalming hard. "You need the _Gilderoy Lockhart Collection_."

Harry frowned. "That…doesn't sound like it's got anything to do with education."

"And you are right." Zaine's hand went through his hair in annoyance. "There isn't anything educational there _at all, _it's literally all the story of one man. I'll grant you this: it's _good_, I'd even go so far to say it's _great._ Every spell is real and useful to the situation, and every book doesn't conflict with any other. But there is no 'how to' in there, at all. I can see _no_ reason to buy this, except as a resource guide. And if it is, then props to the new DADA teacher…but it seems like a ploy to get on the 'most copies sold' list, a PR stunt."

Harry looked at the crowd. "Okaaaay…what else?" The Collection of seven books was on sale and seemed to cost about as much as a single book from last year, so at least it wouldn't break anyone's bank.

Zaine immediately perked up. "Glad you asked, because you also need _Magic Specializations and You_, as well as _The Celtic Pantheon and Why You NEED to Know Them _and _The Power of Belief_. The bookstore changed around their layout recently, year two Hogwarts material should all be on the same shelf, as well as future years."

Harry looked up at Zaine. "Why not alphabetical?"

"Easy." Zaine smiled. "Their biggest customers are Hogwarts students; they are just making things easier for you to find your books. I'm going to get some ice cream; think you can handle things all on your own?" He asked, teasingly.

Harry responded by rolling his eyes and walking around into the store while Zaine chuckled and walked away.

"Bless my soul, it's _Harry Potter_!" A yell from within the crowd of people sounded, and the crowd parted to reveal a rather handsome man. Fair skin, crystal blue eyes, and golden hair that would make Zaine's own hair jealous. The Half-Blood author of the book series Harry had just grabbed off the shelf bounded over to him with a dainty jig in his step. As he did, the crowd that was collected around a table meant for book signings followed earnestly. "What an enormous stroke of fortune: two heroes in the same shop!" He smiled brightly, the action strangely comforting to Harry. "Such an amazing coincidence!" Gilderoy's smile diminished and took on a melancholy feel. "I never quite had the opportunity to thank you or your family for destroying Voldemort." The crowd collectively flinched, but Harry paid no attention to it. Not a lot of people attributed anything of Voldemort's downfall to his parents, so he was immensely grateful to this man. Gilderoy continued, "It may not be much, but as a thank you, I'd like to pay for your books."

He turned around to address the crowd, "And also for _every_ student heading to Hogwarts this year to be taught by yours truly!" The crowd yelled their approval, and Gilderoy spoke low, so only Harry could hear him, "Heroes have to be generous, after all." He winked to Harry, who felt very amused. Maybe he got lucky this year with a fantastic professor?

Gilderoy did as he said he would and paid for Harry's books. As he left, he couldn't help but feel a bit sad to be leaving him, but Harry quickly shook it off, knowing he had all year to learn from this man.

"So!" Zaine popped out of nowhere, and Harry jumped. "Find everything okay?" Harry smiled and proceeded to tell him about his time in the bookstore, much to Zaine's befuddlement. As he talked, Harry felt itchy for some reason, and it seemed to only dissipate the farther away they went from the bookstore.

* * *

At The Second Most Magnificent Manor, Polina was waiting patiently to tell Lily about what happened at Hogwarts and her son's involvement, while Valka was performing various spells that she had no idea the purpose of.

Valka sighed and began muttering to herself. "Still no change." And other various words of self-deprecation. It was a hard thing she had to do, made easier with magic, but caring for someone in a coma can be…taxing on the mind, especially if she was once a dear friend.

Polina heard every word and hoped she didn't have to experience anything close to what happened to her family.

After a while, Valka finally turned around and spoke to her niece, "Alright, I'm finished, go ahead and regale her of the tale of you and your friends being heroes and all that." She rolled her eyes when she said 'heroes'; Polina was too young to understand what that meant, but she would eventually. Valka hoped she didn't come to hate it as some of her colleagues did.

Valka herself had a high opinion of heroes, her only issue was that they more often than not did not live happy lives. But, she would help them as best she could. They were children and Hogwarts students, and thus, they were _hers_. She left the room with a lighter step.

Polina sat in the chair, staring at Lily and biting her lip, not knowing where to begin. Sure, she _could_ tell her everything that happened to her last year, but wouldn't a mother be more interested in what happened to her son, especially since circumstance prevented her from being a part of his life? She thought about it a bit more, and nodded, more for her comfort than anything else. She made her decision, inhaling before beginning her tale.

Several hours later, Harry arrived back at the Manor and made the decision to join Polina. He walked in and heard her say, "...So I told Harry and Hermione to head on without me, and I went up to get help! And boy is that a story all on its own!"

He smiled and pulled a chair over to help Polina finish, continuing when she nodded to him to keep going. "Hey, mum…It's me, Harry…so…basically, after 'Mione and I left…" Harry kept talking and told his mother about what happened after they left Polina behind. Then, he spoke about the rest of his school year. Harry talked about anything and everything that was on his mind. Hours later, when he finished, he impulsively stood up and walked over to his mother. "I'm going back home now, mum…" His voice cracked from overuse and emotion. "I'll see you later, okay?" He walked out of the room, leaving his mother to the care of his friend's family.

* * *

Harry Potter was feeling melancholy, and Zaine was feeling pain. Pain, because the Tonks family had beat him bloody for this revelation. Harry did nothing to stop them, the pleas of mercy from the blond did wonders for his emotions, but it didn't solve anything.

And Zaine left hours ago, so all he could do now was sit in a group hug of his beautiful family, who were crying on him. Honestly, he lived without a mother for most of his life. _This_ is his family, and though he wishes his mother was fine and with him, that didn't change the fact that she's practically a stranger to him. He had emotions, and he dealt with them _ages_ ago. Yesterday, in fact. But he had more on his mind than dealing with this. His mother is alive, and could _maybe_ be cured and returned to him, but that's in the future, and Harry wanted a headstart on his books.

But all this _crying._ Sure, Harry understood that they were closer to Lily than he was, his only memories were a few years of being a baby, but _still_. The Tonks were crying on _him_, and hugging him like he was going to break. He had stuff to do.

But he put up with it cause, well, family.

A few hours later, and they had all calmed down. Harry would've _liked_ to say he paid attention and spent time being there for them, but…well he kind of tuned them out. They were having emotions, and he was an eleven, almost-twelve-year-old boy with no experience in this whatsoever.

Yet _more_ hours later, Harry was lying in bed. He was absolutely _exhausted_. He seriously could not deal with this another day…

The next day, however, Harry inhaled slowly. He changed his mind. Give him crying over…over _this_ any day. Compared to yesterday, today was hell. It was like he was made of _glass_ for heaven's sake! He shook his head, and came up with a plan…he'd deal with his family's emotions, and he'd do it from today until school! Because he doesn't think he can deal with random hugs every ten minutes. So, he nodded to himself and set about his fiercest battle yet, with an opponent more terrifying than Voldemort.

_Emotions_.

* * *

**[A/N]**: So…here this is, I suppose. I'm sticking with my plan of 'condensing,' and it seems like it's working! Although, please, leave a review. I don't even care if it's just 'this story exists.' I want to be a good writer, and a positive review will tell me my strengths, and negative reviews will tell me my weaknesses. Otherwise, well, I'm prone to paranoia. And, Editor, _are you happy now_?! I've now given you a whole DAY to edit this, compared to the previous two chapters!

**[E/N]**: I am pleased by having more time, yes. And thank goodness for the condensing, it does help a ton with pumping out chapters on time. However this means that now the chapters may be shorter...but that is the price we must pay for it as writers, and that ain't too bad. Hopefully, our OTHER projects will be popping out soon as well, so tune in for those!


	4. Chapter 4

Harry Potter and Second the Careless Whispers

Chapter Four:

The Second Train Ride to Hogwarts

Shortly after the books had been taken care of, Harry swiftly gathered the rest of his needed materials. Well, Zaine did most of the work, but Harry would take credit for it, mostly because he was a young boy and didn't want to take any more bull from the blond. Though...he did appreciate the professor going out of his way to willingly assist him. He suspected that Zaine _probably_ felt like he didn't need to apologize, but still felt a smidge like he was at fault one way or another for Harry's current behavior.

It was around this time that the itchiness Harry felt earlier had gone away. There was no real idea he could feasibly come up with as to why the itchy feeling had occurred; perhaps it was Lockhart's robes that had brushed against him a few times as the wizard was standing close to Harry enough to wrap his arm around him, though it could have also could have been being surrounded by so many people at once. Claustrophobia was what Hermione had described the fear of tight spaces as, so it could have been that too. So many angles...so little time to ponder over it all.

Especially since the two of them had arrived at the gateway to Platform 9 ¾. What stopped Harry's train of thought wasn't their actual arrival, or the wonderful pun just mentioned. No, it was because of other Hogwarts students of all things: It seemed wizarding boys and girls of all school years had formed a small group huddled nearby the entrance, waiting to enter till the coast was clear and one or two of them would make a mad dash for it before any Muggle saw what was going on.

"Ballocks." Zaine huffed as they stared at the gaggle. "It seems we got here later than I had planned. Now we gotta deal with rush hour traffic."

"Yep," Harry said, taking this time to put a suitcase he was carrying down. "You think Polina is already on the train?"

"Most likely, knowing her. We all hate large crowds. Well...most of us." The blond shrugged.

To anyone, Muggle or Wizard or Skeleton-in-a-Flesh-Suit, this act would seem very suspicious. And it indeed was deemed as such, as a few Muggles would stare oddly at the group in robes carrying owls and other odd baubles. A few even started whispering to one another and pointed. But for the moment, at least it didn't seem like anyone was doing anything about it.

That is, until an officer walked up, looking as perplexed as everyone else not in on what this all was.

"Double shite," Zaine groaned.

"Yep," Harry said again.

"Excuse me," the man said in a gruff voice with an even gruffer mustache on his lip. "You all have been standing here for quite longer than anyone would like you to be. Anyone here want to tell me why the lot of you are loitering on the premises? Hm?"

A few of the young wizards looked among each other, hoping to the heavens that someone would speak up. Others looked like they were trying to figure out a good enough excuse that would sway the officer. Some even attempted to sneak away, but as now Muggles were watching, they would have nowhere to go. Indeed, it looked as if their goose was cooked.

"No one, eh? Nobody at all? Come on, then, I don't have all day!" The policeman spoke up louder, hands on his belt in an act of intimidation that usually worked. It really did today. "Alright then. Seems I got to arrest you all and question you at the station with charges of loitering and disturbing the peace!"

And then, when all hope seemed lost, their savior appeared. Professor Zaine cut through the crowd, ending up face to face with the policeman with a stoic and calm demeanor. His sudden appearance made the officer take a step back and puff his chest, but the professor kept cool under pressure. "Greetings, officer. I'm sorry for the delay and for my unattended students, just popped out of the toilet."

"Eh...students?" The officer looked Zaine up and down with a raised brow. Not surprising, as he looked about as young as a 7th-year student or one who recently graduated from Hogwarts. "You a teacher?"

"That I am! Zaine Statera at your service," Zaine gave a small nod in hello. "We were just on a field trip to visit areas around Great Britain to study the historical aspect of our beloved mythology; giants, trolls, that sort."

Some of the students giggled at 'mythology'; oh, if this poor Muggle knew the things they did about the Wizarding World. The policeman meanwhile took that as something else and let out a snort, eyeing the "students" and their "teacher" one more time.

"Come on, you can't deny the students' enthusiasm. I'm sure you yourself like a little bit of that mysticism, right?" Zaine grinned, arms wide. "_Everyone _does!"

The policeman opened his mouth to say something, but seemed to hinder on the exact words, mouth hung open a moment or two. He then blinked before taking a deep breath, lowering his voice. "You really expect me to buy this, Mr. Statera?"

Every student, Harry included, tensed up. This Muggle was clearly well versed in the art of 'smelling out bullshit' as Polina's Uncle Vgatahvi was. What were they supposed to do if they were taken to the station? All of them would be _expelled_ for being tardy _and_ for endangering the wizarding world, perhaps even becoming _Squibs_ like Filch! Harry for one didn't want to be a crazy old loon protecting magical students without any magic to defend himself, his only sole companion a scraggy, ill-tempered, and cunningly devilish feline! Professor Zaine may be fired from his job too, but their own futures were more important! What would their _parents_ say?!

Before anyone, officer or otherwise, could say or do anything, Professor Statera raised a hand up in a calm, non-threatening manner. Harry then would distinctly remember something about a warm glow enveloping his own body, an effect that visibly radiated into a large sky-blue bubble as far as he could see, all originating from Zaine's raised hand. That light emanating from Professor Statera's arm looked familiar. A _very_ familiar light he remembered seeing before in the….

Huh...when was that? And what was that about a bubble? Was he delusional? Perhaps it was the stress of trying to get on the train. Or claustrophobia was an actual problem for young Harry, as Hermione had ventured when they hung out before he went to Polina's. That day was quite nice for them: Harry had come around noontime, bringing with him a few pastries that would go well with a wonderfully quiet and relaxing tea time. Even with her parents keeping an eye on them after the whole "almost killed in the first year by a dark overlord of evil" debacle, the two had a great time!

A blink. By the time Harry's senses had fully returned, he noticed that the other Hogwarts students that had congregated in the station were affected similarly. What exactly had happened was beyond him, but it seemed that the officer seemed to be in some sort of trance; a blank, unblinking stare. Professor Zaine had a smug smile on his face, his hand now lowering to his side. Harry was about to ask what he was smiling about when the policeman blinked suddenly, holding his head and looking queasy.

"You alright, officer?" Zaine asked with deep concern, the smug look on his face disappearing instantly as he went to the man's side.

"Whuzzat?" The officer's voice seemed slurred slightly.

Leading the policeman to a bench, Professor Statera helped him sit and handed the officer the newspaper and tea. "Sir, you do not look so good. Should I ask for a doctor to come by?"

The policeman looked between Zaine and the group of students, eyes focused on Harry for a few seconds before going back to the professor. "N-No, I'm fine. Thank you."

"Harry," Zaine addressed Harry now, snapping his fingers. "Do bring the officer his tea and that paper he dropped, if you please."

As if on cue, Harry looked down. In his free hand, he held a perfectly made cup of tea and a newspaper. For a second, he questioned why he had the paper and cup of tea in the first place but then shook away that ridiculous notion. Making his way over, Harry handed the officer the tea first, which he took with a shaky hand before gulping a large sip. The other students watched on as if this was perfectly normal. Some were even continuing their way onto Platform 9 ¾ as if nothing had happened a few minutes before. Even the Muggles were minding their own business as usual.

"Thank you." The officer said finally after another sip.

"You sure you won't need someone to look at you?" Zaine asked again.

"I'm fine. But thank you, sir."

"Alright, well my students and I must be off. And hey, thank you for that tidbit on that troll bridge down in the Abbey." Zaine gave his usual friendly smile.

"Hm? Oh yeah, you're welcome, mate. And don't forget the village down at the Moors. They got some nice fish and chips." The officer returned the smile and gave his own nod of goodbye.

Zaine motioned for Harry to follow him, them being the last ones to cross the barrier now. As Harry followed, he looked back to make sure the friendly officer was alright; it would be a shame if he was in less than jolly spirits after that awesome bit of info on where to go to make their field trip more exciting! But as he watched the officer, the man stared at his cup and then looked up suddenly to look around. It was as if he had no idea where he was, or why he was holding a cup of tea and a newspaper in his hand. Though, seeing as nothing else was going on, he took another sip and began to read.

Upon finally getting on the train bound for Hogwarts, Harry began to feel a bit lightheaded. The feeling was strange, as it seemed to start the moment he began looking for a seat. And every step he took increased this state of being more and more.

"Oi, Harry!" A blond-haired boy called out his name as he passed one of the many similar looking cabins. How odd, he seemed to know him but couldn't place exactly how…

"I said 'OI, HARRY'!"

Harry spun around, seeing Draco. At that moment, he blinked and gave a curious look as to why Draco Malfoy had poked his head out of the cabin sideways to resemble a gopher. "Oh, hey Draco. Sorry, I didn't see you there."

Draco frowned, "You lose a bit of your hearing over the break, Potter?"

"Pardon?" Harry had walked in and taken a seat next to him. Seeing a stain on his glasses, he took them off and began to try and clean the lens that was dirty.

"Never mind." Draco gave up and reached down to a bag of assorted candies and sweets, offering it to Harry. "Polina decided to raid the trolley woman's stash. And by raided, she hunted the entire train till she found her and paid up in full."

"That poor woman…," Harry bit into a licorice wand after placing his glasses back on. "Speaking of Polina, she here?"

"Mhm," Draco nodded while enjoying a few jellybeans of the not-Bertie Bott's variety. He wouldn't tell anyone, but he liked the flavors in Muggle jellybeans more than the wizarding world; something about it being less risky. "We came earlier and met up with Hermione. She and Polina went off to talk about girl things and powder their noses." He said this with the Malfoy-patented roll of his eyes.

The two boys sat and enjoyed their candies, beginning to spin tales of what happened over their break from school. Harry mentioned how he went to spend the night at Polina's for a while and Draco jumped in that he was not around at the time because his parents wanted him home for at least a week or two before school resumed. Neville was brought up: Harry hung out with him earlier in the break and enjoyed a nice lunch, while Draco had bumped into the boy while out shopping for supplies the day before and both had a rather decent conversation about the kitchens in Hogwarts. There was something about a bribe between help with homework and practicing magic for food from the kitchens, but Draco kept it very hush-hush.

By this point, Polina and Hermione had returned. Hermione gave Harry the usual Bestie Hugs of Entrapment (it seemed she always changed the name of these, as the last was _The Dark Lord Sauron's Hug of Iron Fisted Ruling Friendship_), while Polina trapped Draco against the corner he was sitting in by leaning her entire body weight onto him.

"Oh Harry," Hermione piped up, smiling and blushing slightly. "Did you hear about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? We got Gilderoy Lockhart!"

Harry was, for lack of a better term, was having confusing feelings: On the one hand, he liked seeing Hermione smile, so it made him feel _weird-good_. On the other, she was smiling about _Gilderoy Lockhart,_ so it made him feel odd-bad. On the third mutated hand, he liked Gilderoy Lockhart based on his first impression of the man, so he felt odd-good. On the fourth Shokan hand, he felt like competing against the new DADA teacher which is _decidedly weird_; cool on paper, but probably not the best idea. Harry frowned nonetheless and turned to look out the window. "Professor Statera said he's at least an adept wizard and a pretty good author, so I'm looking forward to learning from him."

Polina huffed. "He also told me that instead of signing up as an Auror or becoming a hit-wizard, he decided to travel the world looking for adventure. The man's got talent. Could even go so far as to be legendary. But instead, he decides to traipse around the world wooing housewives with fantastical tales. I read all his books over the break, and the only things I learned was how to win friends and influence people." She shrugged. "Not a_ bad_ lesson, I'll grant you, but I wanted to learn how to be _awesome at magic_."

Draco sighed, Polina still hadn't given him any space. "My dad told me to watch out for him, said that any wizard that powerful who only chases fame is either a Gryffindor or has a dark secret."

Hermione scowled at him. "Draco, you shouldn't insult our teacher like that!"

Harry thought Draco was being a bit dramatic, but he didn't think Hermione the type to rush to a teacher's defense so quickly, especially since she once recommended _lighting them all on fire_… Oh dragon dung, she had a crush on their teacher! Harry felt his face schooling. He really didn't like that…and it explained all his previous feelings; the desire to compete with the professor came from his fear of losing Hermione's friendship!

If Draco was at all skilled in legitimacy, he would have sighed, loudly. But he isn't, so he didn't, rolling his eyes instead. "Oh, calm _down_ girl. First of all, I only said what my father _told_ me. Second, it's a_ fact_ that the DADA position is cursed. If there is nothing wrong with the man, then the worst thing that will happen is some random thing or serious of random things will poison his desire to teach, and he'll leave. He _might_ decide to come back later. If, and I did say _if_, he has some dark secret, then it will be revealed before the end of the school year."

Grumbling to herself, Hermione decided to leaf through her personally autographed Gilderoy Lockhart books. To get ahead in the year, of course.

Harry turned back to the window, not liking Hermione's choice in reading material. A nice view of the countryside would help, at least that is what the Tonks always told him. The first thing he saw outside the train was the standard English countryside. Nothing out of the ordinary whatsoever. But then came the flying car. It seemed like an old beat up Ford Anglia 105E Deluxe, and was being flown by Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom… He blinked, and as suddenly as they appeared, they were gone. Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He was not going to question it. He wasn't…

"Remind me to talk to Ron and Neville when we get to Hogwarts," Harry said aloud.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Sssure…" He looked out the window, trying to see what Harry could have possibly seen that related to two other Hogwarts students. However, upon seeing nothing, he figured Harry must have just thought of something to talk to them about.

A few hours later, they arrived at their destination. Polina stood up and grabbed Draco. "Come on guys, second years go for horseless carriages."

Harry blinked. "D'you mean a car or…?"

Draco shook his head, "No, she means _literal_ horseless carriages. The ones over yonder." He pointed to what were clearly _not_ _horseless _carriages, because those horses were _too damn awesome_!

"Draco." He hissed. "You lied to me." He pointed to the most _metal_ horses he's seen since the last time he saw a car. "Those things are awesome!"

Polina frowned. "Harry, have you gone mental? There is nothing there?" Hermione nodded.

"Not even _I_ could make up those beautiful creatures." He declared, before running up and petting one. "Who's a good killer horsey!" He exclaimed while the horse preened under the attention. "It's you!" He jumped up and sat on its back. The oddly named Deathpocolypse flared its wings. "You losers can sit in the carriage, I'm riding Deathpocolypse! We shall ride into glorious war and conquest together!" Harry exclaimed, before petting the horse's mane. "Merlin, this feels nicer than my damn dress robes! You are the _best horse_!" Harry was so _damn_ gleeful.

Draco, Hermione, and Polina were gobsmacked. Harry was either levitating, or the horse had some weird conditional ability. Draco decided to test it and went to feel if Harry was riding on something. He reached out his hand and…

"Blimey, this feels like bones?! This is a horse?!" Deathpocolypse whinnied and sagged. Then Draco continued, "The hell do I have to do to see the _best horse_, Harry tell me _now_!" Draco growled and Deathpocolyspe perked up again as he started petting its sides. Harry continued to play with the mane while the other death ponies looked over at Deathpocolypse jealously.

"I have no idea, but I swear I'd do it again in a heartbeat!" Harry said through a nearly impossibly large smile.

Polina and Hermione looked very, very confused. Then they heard a loud _thump-thump_ sound that repeated itself, and they relaxed. It was just the half-giant wizard of dubious origins and lover of all animals known to kill magical and muggle alike. Also known as the Groundskeeper, Hagrid.

"Tha' there is a thestral!" Hagrid exclaimed. "E's a beauty, tha' one is."

Hermione, sensing something she didn't know before, pounced on this opportunity. "Hagrid, why can only Harry see the thestral? Does it have something to do with his scar?" The scar being brought up was due to it be the only thing she could think of about Harry that was different than the rest of them, Draco probably had a few left over from the flying keys…

The half-giant looked at Harry sadly before his eyes went sorrowfully downcast. "No, nuthin' like tha'…Thestrals can only b'seen by them what saw…death…"

Draco perked up. "So, all I have to do is kill a man?" He took out his wand with such quickness that Hermione paled. Luckily for her, all he did was place it on his open palm and shout gleefully, "Point me to literally _any _of my enemies!" His grin turned to a frown as the wand didn't move an inch.

Harry, still playing with Deathpocolypse's mane, snorted. "Dude, you are _twelve_. You don't _have _enemies.

Draco gripped the wand tightly and looked at Harry, determination blazing in his eyes. "Then I shall share _yours_! This, I vow; we shall be as brothers fighting side by side against those that wish you harm!"

Polina gasped as Draco's wand began to glow brightly. "Draco!" She yelled, horrified. "Do you realize what you've done!"

Putting his wand away, Draco shrugged and went back to petting the horse he couldn't see to address Polina. Deathpocolypse liked the pretty light and was sad that it was gone. "Same thing as you all last year, but with a fancy light show?"

Polina's mouth hung open and Hagrid beamed. He then turned towards the assembled second-year students, huddled around their own carriages to see all the boys and about half the girls petting the thestrals and cooing. Some of the girls were sitting astride the thestrals and making their manes _fabulous_ and Hagrid almost shed a tear. "These critters don' get 'nough love, this is the bes' day of my life." He muttered and coughed loudly. "Righ', you lot! We got to git goin', all of yus! We need ta git to Hogwarts before the feast!"

He turned around and started walking towards the first-year groups, chuckling when a chorus of 'aw' and 'bugger' echo around him.

**[A/N]**: So, I've been a bit sick lately and had the editor write most of this, though the bit with the thestrals was all me, and damn fun. Cause I mean, look at them! Whoever thinks those things don't deserve to be cuddled deserves to be struck by lightning, they are adorable. Lastly, is…well, it's going ridiculously badly at the moment. And I know, I should probably give myself more than, what two weeks? Yeah, two weeks to get some patrons, but eh. It'll still be up, but I've also decided to update the whole thing and generally take commissions for $7.50 per 1,000 words for fanfiction, and/or original content.

**[E/N]**: It was actually kinda fun writing all this stuff. And hey, the Thestrals are _awesome_, why wouldn't one want to see one in all its glory? Next chapter shouldn't be too long…Maybe…We will have to see. May need to use the actual books for reference on this one, 'cause I can't remember everything that happens.


	5. Chapter 5

**Harry Potter and Second the Careless Whispers**

Chapter Five:

A Very Special Class

Harry Potter didn't want to wake up bright and early today. Last night at the feast he got his schedule, and wouldn't you know, today's class was with Vgatahvi Techno. The…energetic man he met recently. The one he felt terrible for never wanting to see again because his energy levels were a bit much for him to handle. He really, _really_ didn't want to have class with him today.

All day, rather. Because that one class _took the entire day_. What could possibly be so important that it took a full day to explain?! And this was apparently just an introduction. An _introduction_ to the class!

"Urgh…" Harry had to hold his breakfast down.

Polina rolled her eyes and slapped him on the back of the head. "Come off it, prat. No matter how much he bugs me, that's still my _uncle_, and this is a pretty important class."

"I'm a bit confused," Hermione said, looking as such. "Why is this such an important class again?"

Draco had to refrain from eye-rolling his friend. "This isn't just a class, Hermione. I suppose I _could_ tell you why this is probably the most important class you'll ever have at Hogwarts, but I'll let Professor Techno do it for me."

Harry snorted. "I know a little bit, and I agree, 'Mione. This is a _need to know_ class."

"Well…okay…" Hermione bit her lip and went over her mental checklist of all the things she packed in her book bag. She hoped she had enough notebooks…and more than enough ink.

The second they arrived in the classroom, they were immediately in awe of its size. It was about a quarter the size of the Great Hall! And they had it all to themselves. For a little while anyway, they only arrived half an hour early, after all. The four children quickly found their seats: for this class they picked the second row back from the podium. Close enough for Polina, and not far enough for Harry.

All too soon for their liking, the classroom was filled up with every single 2nd-year student at Hogwarts, each one clamoring for a spot they felt would either help them succeed at a higher rate or succeed in slacking off and catch a few more winks of sleep. Harry honestly wished he was one of them.

But his mind had no time to wander back to Dreamland, as the new Professor's boisterous entrance awoke even the sleepiest of students and magical creature or ghost that happened to be in or around the room.

"What's up, muchachos!" Professor Vgatahvi thundered walking to the podium with a wide grin. Polina facepalming at his casual language made Vgatahvi laugh even louder than his initial voice. "Now, I know this is all rather sudden for all of you to be taking a class like this, trust me I_ know_ firsthand how that feels, but I promise that this class is gonna be great. And important too, so please pay attention and take all the notes you need!" He turned to write on a board that had just been sitting by the podium, writing in big letters his name. Seeing some of the students look a bit intimidated by the spelling of his name and the way it was probably pronounced, Vee smirked. "I'm gonna have you just call me Professor Vee. No need to be so formal, right? We are all associates in the making here."

Polina's hand shot up, and Vee pointed to her with the writing utensil. "No, I'm sorry, you _do not_ get extra credit or the privilege to call me Uncle in this class. If I did that, _everyone _would have to do it, and it'd be really awkward." A few of the students paled at the mention of **another** uncle to Polina being here, and Harry had to agree.

Clearing his throat, Vee continued. "Anywhose, welcome to your _first_ foray into the mystic arts!"

Hermione's hand shot up. "Professor, what do you mean, 'our first foray'?" Some others mumbled their agreement and nodded their heads.

Professor's Vgatahvi's eyes gleamed. "Well, dear bright minded student, you've had a year to learn magic, but this is _mysticism_." He waved his hands, and the room dimmed. "First, you have to understand the difference." Out of his hands shot a light that split into three, a few 'ooo's and 'aaah's echoing in the room.

"First is that all practitioners of magic are attuned to a specific branch, which cannot be replicated by any known means." One of the three lights turned into a tree with twelve branches. We'll get into each one and how to find your specialty later. Next, you need to understand this: _Gods and Goddesses Exist_." The second light turned into a crowd of figures that seemed to be silently judging them. "Finally, is the fact that everywhere with a high concentration of magic, in that place, reality is malleable." The final light turned into a blob that stretched and folded on itself and repeated.

Professor Vgatahvi waved his hand, and everything disappeared. "To begin, we'll go in reverse. Because I feel like it." He smiled insanely and let out another hearty laugh as he turned to write on the board again. "Reality, in places where many magical beings gather, is subject to change. As practitioners of magic, every spell you cast carries not only intent, but an imprint of _who you are_. Now, normally this wouldn't do much, as these things are so unnoticeable it may as well not be mentioned." He turned sharply and shouted, "However!" Vgatahvi's voice managed to get all student's spines to straighten. "Belief attracts belief! If every student in this room actually and truly _believed_ that I was a fish, and you all cast a simple flagrate, then I would become a fish! Not only that, I would have _always_ been a fish, until someone carried me into the non-magical world, where reality is solid. Then, I have always been a man!"

He turned around and chuckled. "If this is confusing any of you, then simply understand this: Any commonly held belief, in places of magic, becomes _true_. I will now take a few moments for questions." Professor Vgatahvi looked around the room and spotted no less than a dozen hands. "Okay, nope. New plan, write your questions down on a piece of parchment and hand it up to me. I'll address all questions as succinctly as I can so we can move on."

Five minutes of shuffling later, Professor Vgatahvi held up the _first_ parchment. "Cool beans, thanks everyone! We'll start with a rather simple one, 'Does this mean that Harry Potter actually _is_ The-Boy-Who-Lived?'" Harry ducked his head as many students turned towards him. Who the heck wrote that one? Or….did Vgatahvi just make that one up? He had so many suspects...but Professor Vee cut his thoughts off as he continued the lecture. "Excellent question! And one I have to expand on. The short answer is 'yes, but not the way you think'! You see, The-Boy-Who-Lived is famous for the defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, as well as surviving the Killing Curse! Few know the _real_ reason why this is so, but in certain places, Harry Potter is the only boy who _can_ defeat He-Who-Must-Be-Stupidly-Hyphenated! Should some necromantic ritual bring him back, then in locations such as Hogwarts, Harry Potter is the _only person_ who can so much as fight him! The ambient magic in the air will cause spells aimed at That-Guy to miss, or fail entirely! _And_ at the same time, Harry Potter is _immune_ to the Killing Curse! Of course, only on Hogwarts grounds, or Diagon Ally!"

Harry, who was not privy to this information, stared wide-eyed at his hands. Every student in the room did the same.

The professor coughed. "And, I must stress this point, this is _not_ because of Harry Potter. This is because of all of _you_. You all _believe_ that Harry Potter survived the Killing Curse and defeated the most terrible Dark Lord of our age, and thus, _it is so._ Next question!" He looked at the parchment and blanched. "Oh my, if any question could get your minds off of Harry Potter this is it…Ahem, 'Does magic make God exist?'" At this point, every student looked towards the Professor, eyes full of terror. Well, everyone besides Polina and Draco. They both just sighed heavily.

Vgatahvi took a deep breath. "This actually meshes well with the next topic, so I'll just move on. If anybody has any questions, feel free to stay after class, and I'll answer them all. Again, the answer is 'yes, but not the way you think.' Belief may have _once_ created all the deities as we know them, but they are now their own entity. 'God' in the magical world, can be called the Being Who Guides Magic. It's…well getting into it would require far more time than we have together, so just know that God exists _in_ magic, but not _because_ of it. I'll uh…I'll move on because religion makes me queasy." The students _did not_ notice the Professor looked green, mostly because they were feeling quite overwhelmed at this point.

"Ahem!" The professor coughed again. "Moving on, every nation has a pantheon of gods and goddesses watching over them. As we live in England, and are being educated in Scotland, you are going to learn about, and how to pay proper tribute to, the Celtic Pantheon!" The Professor has regained his boisterous attitude. "And, again, there is a _very_ specific _reason_. The 'Age of the Gods' as the non-magical refer to it, _has not ended for us_. This means that any one of you, once you hit thirteen, could be visited by a Celtic Deity and given a Quest! Yes, you in the back!"

"Why thirteen?" A young Slytherin student asked.

"Simple! That is the age children become adults! Remember, this is positively _ancient_ logic, so thirteen is actually quite reasonable for them! Continuing, if you are given a quest, _by magic, do it_. Seriously, no matter what it is, do it. No no, it is not for some silly reason like 'disobeying the gods is bad,' or some such rot. No, _believe me_ when I say that doing the quests is _only_ good for you. They can see more than us mortals can, so it's likely something that _Must Happen_ in order for things not to go belly-up! But, if that's not good enough for you, then hear this! Doing quests for gods gets you _loot_!"

At this point, he held up a modern sling. To the befuddlement of the classroom, who had no idea why their Professor had such an object.

"Le _sigh_." Professor Vgatahvi said sadly. "_This, _my dear students, is a _magical sling_." He pulled back the launcher, and a glowing rock appeared in the sling. "This was given to me by the Celtic God Lugh for sacrificing one of my more, shall we say, _interesting_ artworks to him. It _creates_ a piece of concrete that will _always_ hit the eye of whosoever I'm aiming at, no matter what. You _can't_ replicate this with enchantments, because it will _never_ lose it's 'charge' as it were, being a gift from a god! I could fire this thing _infinitely_ in the middle of a desert and hit something! This is why doing Quests for Deities gets you an Order of Merlin First Class, always. Bringing such artifacts into our world is, pardon the pun, a _godsend_."

More than a few were looking at the sling speculatively. Seeing this, the professor smiled wickedly. "Of course, to steal such objects is a _death sentence_. A lesson the Ministry learned early on, mind you. A death sentence carried out by the deity who brought the item into existence, no less. Sorry kiddies, you'll have to get your own!" He laughed.

"Finally, the most complex branch of magic. _Specializations_." Vgatahvi grinned an even wickeder smile. "This, students, will take up most of your time to learn simply because unlike the other two, this magic is _purely yours_. What does this mean? Simple, it means that each and every one of you is special; born with a brand of magic that no one else can replicate, ever. We've categorized twelve specializations, each with their own 'path' of magic that is only for _you_ to learn. This, students, is a pure self-study type of magic!" He chuckled as the entire class groaned. "Yeah, I know, but here's the thing…_this is epic-level magic_. Early practitioners have been noted to create _Ents_, to _shapeshift_, to cause _earthquakes_. Trust me, learning this stuff can only help you in life. I'll go over the twelve specializations briefly, and then we'll spend the rest of today answering questions, going over the syllabus, and making friends with each other. Mostly because most of these specializations can _harmonize_ with each other, elevating the magic to new heights. But we are also doing this so I can learn your names hopefully."

Professor Vgatahvi raised a hand to begin a long-winded speech. "The Arcane Warrior Specializations: mages of this class focus their energies inward to perform incredible feats of might; for example, most find they become equal to a troll's might. Which, as you should know by now, are known to be mostly impervious to spells, have a high damage resistance, and can rip trees out of the ground. Usually, Arcane Warriors sign up to be a hit-wizard or join Her Majesties Magical Forces. These are people you _never_ want to fight.

Next, Blood Mages. I know, some of you find that to be a bit disgusting, but trust me, these mages are nothing but _helpful._ With a small sacrifice of life-force, that is to say, _blood_, these mages can perform great feats of magic effortlessly! They are also known as Ritual Masters because many spells available to Blood Mages are in the form of elaborate rituals. Why, many of Hogwarts wards were created and executed by Blood Mages! Specifically, the Creature Aversion Wards. Some creatures can enter, some are compelled to stay away, and now you know why.

The third is the Shapeshifter, or _Animagus_ if you use the fashionable term. It is, well quite self-explanatory, but I'll try anyways cause I know some of you don't really understand all the mumbo-jumbo. Becoming a Shapeshifter involves a complicated potion, the recipe itself given to them in a dream, and utterly _fails_ in the hands of any other. After drinking said potion, the Shapeshifter retreats into their mind and makes contact with their spirit animal. This next part varies from person to person, but the majority agrees that they need to let the animal take over their body, but keep their mind in control. This _sounds_ dangerous, but this is their spirit animal, and since it a part of them, they know how to do this effortlessly.

Fourth, the Spirit Healer. Contrary to the name, these mages do _not_ heal spirits. Spirit Healers willingly gets possessed by a ghost and use the energies that such a possession gives off to heal their patients. I believe the non-magicals call this energy 'ectoplasm', but their experience is in the realm of fantasy. No ghosts have been sighted there in ages. Our own Madam Pomfrey is a Spirit Healer, if y'all didn't know, though she is tight-lipped about which ghost is possessing her. I mean, makes sense to me; wouldn't go around telling anyone my ghost host and have someone take my buddy away from me.

Next is a personal favorite, the Battle Mage. This class meshes quite well with Arcane Warriors since their magic is focused on shielding allies and cursing enemies. _All_ Battle Mages sign up with Her Majesties Magical Forces. If you are lucky, or _un_lucky, to see a Battle Mage in action, you'll often see the battlefield itself torn asunder. Pretty badass stuff.

Sixth is what we call the Keeper. They bond with a single magical plant and carry it with them at all time, often hidden. Some of you may not find this particularly dangerous, but I assure you, I've seen the aftermath of a Keeper pulling out a mandrake in the middle of a dorm…after being bullied for years, mind you. Trust me, there are _plenty_ of magical plants you don't want to mess with, and thus you don't mess with a Keeper…moving on.

I know many of you boys will appreciate this, the Force Mage! This mage is all about exerting force on your opponents. Nearly _every_ Force Mage signs up to be an auror, as they excel at taking down a criminal with as little harm as possible! The highest level Force Mages can find they can create a field in which they control _all_ kinetic energy within. Pretty useful since removing that energy entirely on a criminal makes them stop moving. They have to be careful with it though, as removing all kinetic energy can make the heart stop pumping. And that's bad. Very bad.

Eight, the Outcast Druid, are known for…a disturbing branch of magic. These mages sacrifice life force to bring ancient lore into the present. Sounds incredible, and it is, but remember lore of ancient times was…terrifying. Non-magicals pass off their cases of ancient lore as mere stories, but this is magic that can bring _Titans_ to life. Bring deities to the _present and in the flesh_… Every single Outcast Druid is recruited, voluntarily mind you and never, _never_ by force, into the Department of Mysteries. Thankfully for us all, Outcast Druids are so rare, that only _five_ cases have been recorded in the history of the _world_.

Ahem, ninth is…a bit tricky to explain. Remember the Spirit Healer? Sort of like that, I suppose, but the Vengeful Mage bind a willing _poltergeist_ to their person so they can use a measure of that 'geists abilities. To be honest, many of us teachers expect Peeves to bond with messers Fred and George **Anyways**, Vengeful Mages are very, _very_ handy to have in a war, so you'll see them as either veterans or still in service to, you guessed it, Her Majesties Magical Forces. This is because Poltergeists can do things ghosts _can't_ do, almost a magical class all their own, and are always unique to the 'geist, that Vengeful Mages can use.

Tenth, the Knights Templar. Most of us all know about these, so I will be brief. These mages take ambient energies from a battlefield and _repurpose_ them to further empower allies. Now, you'd think that these mages would sign up exclusively for Her Majesties Magical forces, but no. All current Knights Templar are in our auror corps! Handy, isn't it! In fact, as Susan over there can confirm, Madam Amelia Bones is the greatest Knight Templar of her generation!

Eleventh, and please hold your reactions until I finish, are Necromancers. I'm sure many of you find it distasteful, but I assure you, nearly every British Necromancer has been nothing but a benefit to our society. Necromancers care for the dead, as well as the ghosts and 'geists that Spirit Healers and Vengeful Mages use for their own. Necromancers are hardly the inferni-raisers and terrors you think of. Actually, most of them have a hilarious sense of humor! I remember this one joke that…er, nevermind, let's just move onto the last one.

The Veil Mages! These mages are the most recently recorded and are, well, a bit weird. Veil Mages are a bit like Blood Mages, mixed with Knights Templar, mixed with Force Mages; they sacrifice their lifeforce to draw in ambient energies from, well we don't know precisely _where_, but they do draw from _some_where, and they use these energies to exert force on _reality_. Making it more, or less, malleable. These mages can quite literally cut off Deities from our world, render the power of belief inert, bloody hell they can make a place _less magical! _And this obviously terrifies more than one Magical Government, as in the wrong hands, a Veil Mage is the bane of our society. Luckily, there has only been _one_ Veil Mage in history. They killed themselves before a Dark Lord could force them to do harm to the world, so good on them.

Well, that is all the time we have, any questions?" Professor Vgatahvi finally finished with a smile. He soon lost that smile; however, when every student raised their hand. Blimey, did Zaine ever have to deal with this on a regular basis? He assumed so, and it was quite annoying. On the other hand, a student who was willing to learn and ask questions was a huge win in the realm of knowledge, so he felt a swell of pride in his chest; the first class he ever publicly taught in this school was going to be a blast.

**[A/N]**: Well, here they are, my promised changes to HP, said as succinctly as possible. Please remember, that I'm only using _concepts_, of the things I've said, so we won't see anything like Uncle Sheo's quest inside some dude's mind. Also, I'm bringing attention my Pat Reon account again because…well we need to eat. We've updated the page, finally, and I'm just waiting on the editor there to come up with some unique art. Or, failing that, get someone else to do it. And, finally, I'm turning the series into an RPGMaker game. Why? Fuck if I know, but I'm doing it anyways.

**[E/N]: **This chapter...Geez, this one made my head hurt just trying to finish in one sitting; literally had to do it in two. Really cool changes to the canon though, eh? The writer was trying to plan this for weeks, so hopefully, there is a good pay off soon haha.


	6. Chapter 6

**Harry Potter and Second the Careless Whispers**

Chapter Six:

Some _Actual _Whispers

Harry Potter sat in his bed in quiet reflection. The topic? Girls. And to be more specific, the girls in his life had assigned them all homework, to try and figure out which of the specializations they'd be. He honestly had no idea; he could see himself as almost all of them.

It also didn't help that he wasn't expected to _find_ his specialization until at least 5th year, according to Professor Techno.

Sighing, Harry sat up and decided to do some homework. His first assignment was thirteen inches of transfiguration laws and restrictions to them. Harry was done in half an hour. It took him ten minutes to find all the information. He had to do _way_ more work in his non-magical school. Harry sighed again and leaned back in his chair, almost tipping over but not quite. 'Honestly…' he thought, quite disparaged. 'I'm tired of hearing people complain about the amount of work we have to do.'

Him and every other muggle-born in the school, it seemed. He smiled as he recalled his invitation to the 'Holy Shit, I Can Do Magic, Holy _Shit_!' Club. Someone approached him the halls just the other day and asked him if all pure-bloods were so unmotivated to learn magic. Well, the actual words were a bit more vulgar, but the point was the same. It was, apparently, a 'group of like-minded individuals who want to learn how to do all the magic. Light, Dark, Lime-Green, doesn't matter. Magic _rules_.' That was the sales pitch that roped in Harry, Hermione, and Polina. Draco was a bit hesitant, but then came the finishing blow. Magic For Dummies.

* * *

Draco had heard tales of this mystical journal. Set in the same vein as Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, Magic For Dummies was said to make any reader more in tune with magic than Dumbledore, than _Voldemort_. It was said that the secret of performing wandless magic was written in its pages…and even more so, it was in possession of a secret society of full-fledged mages that distanced themselves from Magical Britain to seek out obscure magicks from foreign lands to add to it!

"What?" Robert Barathorn looked incredibly confused. "I mean, yes, _technically_ it does that, but-"

"I'm in!" Draco was salivating. Polina was wiping his chin.

Robert raised an eyebrow. "Okay…but membership requires a 20-page book report in Fifth Year, college ruled o'course."

Draco looked confused. "What does 20-page college ruled mean and what happens if we don't do it?" There were tales of magical contracts going unfulfilled, and 20 pages sounds like a _lot_ of work, but if 'pages' was close to 'inches' it was manageable and only a little bit more work than expected.

Harry, knowing Draco's thought process, grinned maliciously. "Just about two hundred and twenty inches."

Draco felt faint. Robert did not catch the maliciousness in Harry's smile and just smiled back. "I know, right? Only two-twenty inches!" He chuckled. "And, well nothing happens if you _don't_ write the report, but you won't get access to the book anymore and just between you and me, my bother just back from India and we got some really _wicked_ parselmouth magic."

Harry, sensing an opportunity to make some fast friends. "Really? I'm a natural parselmouth as it happens, sign me up!"

Draco looked at Harry, amazed, and Hermione looked at Harry proudly. Polina stood there, considering the offer.

Robert perked up and said, "Really? Wicked, John had to spend a whole six _months_ learning it the hard way, he'll be totally jealous of you."

* * *

Although Harry remembered at first being nervous about his parselmouth skill being revealed to his friends. When he asked them later, Polina scoffed. According to her, her family has skills other people would label as 'dark,' so him being able to talk to snakes wasn't a big deal. Draco shrugged his shoulders and said that his entire _family_ had a Dark history, so it wasn't a big deal to him. Hermione though, she was a surprise. He expected his non-magical raised friend to be at least a little _wary_ about his skills, but she smiled at him and asked him if he would teach her. _Teach_ her!

Harry didn't even know parseltongue could be taught until he heard about John. He promised he'd try, but it was like being able to move an arm. He can't tell you _how_ he moves it, he just…does. The words are translated in his head to English, and his English is translated to snake, immediately.

Nevertheless, the group was _really _looking forward to their membership to the as-of-yet nameless order. They hadn't gotten a chance to read Magic For Dummies yet, and Polina was pouting that _she_ hadn't figured out wandless magic yet. She seemed to place a lot of pride in her skills as a witch, and hearing that there was an entire 'society' of people _leagues_ ahead of her was putting her in quite the mood. With a shrug, Harry went back to his homework, from all six other classes…it took him just under two hours.

Harry sighed and decided to read ahead. Again. At this rate, he'll finish the year's book requirements at the end of their first month!

The next day, Harry woke up bright and early, eager for his first Defense Against the Dark Arts class with Gilderoy Lockhart! Though hearing the name still made him feel a bit itchy, he figures it'll go away when he joins him for class.

After a hearty breakfast, and a few classes later, Harry and the gang were finally there! Ravenclaw and Slytherin together for the first DADA and Harry couldn't be happier! He was sitting with Hermione, who had her notes out and was looking very eager to see the Professor. Harry didn't feel itchy anymore, but his stomach felt as if it was in knots.

"Hello, students!" Gilderoy Lockhart yelled as he strolled into the class. "Welcome to the first DADA of the year, with magical me!" He laughed boisterously, and the students laughed with him. "I figure today, we'll jump right in with the most _dangerous_ dark creature I can find…" He set a covered object on the table with a solemn air. An air which vanished as soon as he smiled. "Cornish pixies!" He whipped the cloth off to reveal a cage filled with the little beasts.

One student in the back snickered. "Cornish pixies, sir? Most dangerous?"

Their professor chuckled. "Most dangerous to the household, certainly. I'm not here to tell you how to overcome werewolves or vampires, you are only second years after all. No, this year I'm just going to teach you how to deal with problems you'd _actually_ face. And, as it happens, Cornish pixies are at the top of the list of things you are likely to encounter. So!" He clapped his hands. "I'll be demonstrating the proper technique to be rid of these loathsome beasties! All eyes on me now!" He whipped out his wand with a dazzling smile and turned to the cage.

"Now, the first thing you should know about these little beasties is that they _love_ a good practical joke!" He opened the cage to let them fly around. "Observe! Peskipiski Pesternomi!" He waved his wand through the air four times, and to the surprise of all, the Pixies seemed to screech and fly back into their cages, the last one in shutting the door.

All was silent, for all of five seconds. Then, the Pixies started laughing with Gilderoy Lockhart. "As you might have guessed, that was _not_ a real spell. Cornish pixies don't _need_ one, just play with them a bit and 'prank' each other and, much like you young ones," he smirked slyly at the class, "they just need an outlet for their energies."

With a final flourish of his wand, the cage disappeared, and Gilderoy began lecturing them on proper 'techniques' to deal with pixies, all in all, it was an entertaining class.

"That was _wicked_," Harry said to Hermione as they left the class after it ended. "Fun as all hell, _and_ I learned something!"

Hermione smiled brightly and nodded. "Oh, ab_solutely_! I don't think I've ever had that much fun before.

Draco scratched his chest. "Yeah, it was pretty cool…"

Harry frowned at his friend. "You're itchy too?" He said as he scratched his head.

"Itchy?" Hermione asked. "Why would you be itchy?"

Draco frowned. "I dunno, there could be a ton of reasons…"

Hermione shrugged. "Whatever it is, I hope you two feel better soon. I have to go start on my homework for Professor Gilderoy!" She sped off before Harry could get a word in.

Harry turned to Draco, amused. He smiled and said,

"_Rip, tear, kill…"_

Harry froze mid-word. He didn't say that…Draco didn't say that…who…

"Oi, mate?" Draco asked Harry, who had stopped in the middle of the floor. "You, uh, you okay there?"

Harry shook his head. "Uh, yeah…thought I heard something…"

Draco shrugged. "It's an old magic castle with secrets we cannot begin to fathom, you probably _did_ hear something."

Harry frowned. "Well, then I don't want to see what kind of person wants to 'rip, teat, kill' anything in this castle.

Draco blinked. "Yeah, if I heard that I wouldn't want…to… oh no." Draco paled.

Harry looked at his friend, a little worried. "Draco…?"

Draco turned to Harry and whispered. "Harry, we fought _Voldemort_ in first year. Your _first year_ back in the wizarding world proper. Now you just heard something that wants to kill…"

Now, Harry paled. "You don't think…"

Draco shook his head. "I don't know _what_ I think, all I know is if it _is_ what I think, then I think we don't want to be unprepared…"

The boys stared at each other for a moment.

"Hermione!" "Polina!"

They screamed simultaneously and ran off in different directions.

* * *

**[A/N]**: Yeah, short chapter this week, and I'm posting without the editor looking at it. This week has been kind of hectic, and I've had no time to sit down and write more than a couple hours this week. I've also decided to switch from a weekly posting to a bi-weekly posting, I'm getting really into RPGMaker, and being perfectly honest, I want to start making money so I can quit my day job. Fanfiction isn't working so…RPGMaker it is, while I still have the time. But, at least the plot is advancing, finally. And, yes editor, last chapters wave of info will pay off. Just…like way later.


	7. Chapter 7

Harry Potter and Second the Careless Whispers

Chapter Seven:

Ramping Things Up

A scream echoed throughout the halls outside of Slytherin's Common Room. The noise was enough for several students lounging about to come out of their stupor and turn toward the entrance just in time to see Harry "why does this shit keep happening to me" Potter burst through like he was being chased by the Bloody Baron himself. Still screaming, the boy ran past everyone toward the door that belonged to the girls of Slytherin House and flung himself at it with all of his weight. Well, Harry would have, if the door hadn't suddenly opened, making him collide with the now seventh-year Slytherin, Gemma Farley. As the two toppled to the floor, two Slytherins now screaming, Polina sauntered out.

Seeing the scene before her, the raven-haired girl of dubious origin sighed heavily. "Alright, what is it this time?"

"I am going to be bloody murdered, save me!" Harry's scream turned into a screech of literal bloody murder as he picked himself off the floor and immediately ducked behind Polina, knowing in his heart that she would be able to provide a practical solution. Gemma meanwhile was finally starting to calm down, holding her heart dramatically from her place on the floor.

Polina raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about, Harry?"

Draco whimpered from behind a confused Hermione and began explaining. "Harry heard a whispery voice saying 'rip, tear, kill' from the walls of the castle!"

Hermione simply went back to the book she had been reading. Honestly, it seemed like when she was at school, she had zero time to indulge in her laid back hobbies at all. "That's not enough of an indicator that we are going to die, Draco…"

Harry shook his head rapidly. "No, you don't get it Polina! We fought Voldemort last year. Voldemort! And now there is something inside the castle that wants to kill! Maybe just generally kill, but what are the odds that we won't be involved in some scheme to kill The-Boy-Who-Lived after he and his friends defeated Voldemort a second time?!"

Polina opened her mouth to argue…and found she couldn't. Even when Gemma crawled out to a couch to just lay down for a while, muttering under her breath on how boys were stupid. In her defense, Polina would agree.

Hermione sighed, eyes narrowed as she tried, oh so tried, to focus on reading. "That's…not incorrect thinking, but what if it's nothing to worry about?"

Draco stood up, frowning the 'cower in terror' position was hard on the back. "I'd rather be prepared to deal with something that might not happen, then be unprepared if it does."

Polina blinked, and then began imitating a goldfish.

Harry worked out a few cricks in his back. "So, what do we do? Go to the teachers first and then research or…?"

Something seemed to click in the back of Hermione's mind. Quickly, Hermione's wand found itself gripped tightly in her fist, and sparks began to fly off of it, black sparks that Draco could feel the heat from, like a raging fire contained in a point no bigger than a matchstick. She opened her mouth…

Polina slowly let out a feral, audible growl, and in that instant, Harry could swear that her shadow began flickering malevolently like a vile rampaging monster. She opened her mouth…

"If anyone makes trouble for my boyfriend, they're going to get it!"

Meanwhile, all the other students in each of their respective places around them heard every word that Harry and Draco said to Polina and Hermione. They thought they knew terror before…but then Hermione and Polina frightened them more than Voldemort ever could. At that moment, all who bore witness began to pity whoever they were talking about. Polina was a she-devil held back only because of Draco, and Hermione was clearly a budding Dark Lady held back only by Harry Potter's bright influence. If something happened to either of them…well it probably wouldn't be that bad, they are only children, but still.

Hermione grabbed Draco at roughly the same time that Polina grabbed Harry, and they both ran full tilt to the library. Hermione was the first one there, with Polina following soon after. They shared a look, glanced at the boys they were dragging, and nodded at each other. Harry and Draco shared a wry, exasperated look. Then they rolled their eyes together.

Hermione cleared her throat. "Right, first thing first: we know what Harry heard, but not Draco. We need to hear his side."

Polina nodded, turning her attention to Draco. "Dracy-Poo, what did you hear when you were with Harry."

Draco blushed. "First, please don't call me Dracy-Poo ever again, that's the most embarrassing thing I've ever heard in my life." He wilted at the glare Polina was giving him. "Second...I heard the pipes hissing."

Harry blinked. "Are you sure you heard the pipes hissing?"

"What, you think the castle was hissing?" Draco deadpanned.

Harry sighed, his free hand rubbing a now tired eye; all that screaming really does put a number on someone, and that is not counting the raspy sore throat after. "In case you guys forgot about yesterday, I am a parselmouth. I can speak snake. Draco heard hissing, I heard words."

"Okay…" Polina started. "So we got a snake in the castle that wants to kill…maybe it's just hungry?"

"No way," Harry said. "I know what snakes say when they get hungry, and they don't get murderous, they just get ornery." In his mind, he could clearly see that snake from the zoo. The same snake he let loose from his untrained magical powers turning the glass barrier into a disappearing act. He hoped the snake was doing well.

Hermione hummed. "So we have a murderous snake in the magic castle…"

Suddenly, as if on cue, another scream was heard throughout the castle. The four students looked at each other and feared the worst, already planning on what to do if they did indeed find a magical killer snake running amok in their school. However, as the screaming became louder, they realized soon enough that it belonged to Headmaster Dumbledore as the older man sprinted down the hallway screaming bloody murder. Literally. "Whoever is causing trouble in my school, I swear I'm going to bloody murder you!"

The Quirky Quartet shared a look and ran off after their Headmaster. They ran until they came upon a weeping Filch cradling a suspiciously still Ms. Norris. Dumbledore had stopped upon arriving at the scene and was now pacing back and forth, verbally cursing up a storm.

Harry was the first to spot Professor Lockhart, the man kneeling by the distraught Filch examining the poor cat. The sight of the pronounced wizard made the boy relax. Surely, with two great wizards on the scene, whatever trouble would be solved promptly?

Professor Lockhart, however, sighed exasperatedly. "I'm afraid there isn't anything I can do for Ms. Norris. If I had gotten here sooner, maybe…but as it is, I'm afraid I'll have to defer to the Headmaster's expertise here…"

Filch wailed, and Dumbledore clicked his tongue as he addressed the depressed caretaker. "We're out of mandrakes, and we are over budget already, so we can't order more anytime soon. You'll just have to wait until our own are finished growing so we can brew a potion to remove her petrification."

Harry and the others immediately ran up to Dumbledore. If their deductive reasoning on the matter could help in any way, they surely wanted to share! "Headmaster, my friends and I are reasonably certain that this attack was caused by a snake for reasons I am not at liberty to discuss." He said with as much seriousness as his Uncle Sirius seriously taught him. The others nodded their heads in agreement.

Dumbledore had to resist the urge to pat the twelve-year-old child on the head; so precocious! "While I appreciate your assistance in this matter, you are using the 'I am not at liberty to discuss' phrase incorrectly. However, I will not pursue the matter further, as we all have things, we wouldn't want other people to find out. The staff will begin researching this as soon as possible. Now, please leave. I have to deal with Filch wailing over his petrified cat."

Harry nodded and walked with his friends to the next class.

The next day in the Great Hall, Dumbledore stood up with a grave look on his wizened, annoyed face. "Attention students!" He waited until the hall had quieted down. "I have grave news for you all. You might have heard that yesterday, Ms. Norris was petrified. Now, unfortunately, I must inform you that one of our own was attacked. Gemma Farley has been petrified."

Harry and Draco paled, and the rest of the Slytherin table hissed quietly.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "She was found in the halls, by herself. Now, I'm afraid I must insist that all students wander the halls in groups of three or more. We are investigating this matter, and I have visited the Head of the DMLE to report this attack… However, I am told that due to budget cuts, she cannot spare even a single auror until an actual crime has been committed. I'll ask all of you to owl your families to let them know that you are quite possibly in danger, and neither I, nor the Aurors can do anything about it. If any of them wish for you to come home until this mystery has been solved, let them know they may pick you up at any time. Thank you, that is all, please enjoy your meal and try not to die until you are off Hogwarts property." Once he finished his speech, he sat down and began to enjoy his meal.

The school finished in relative silence and went on their way to the common rooms, where Snape was waiting for the Slytherins. He inhaled through his nose, and exhaled through his mouth, and seemed to relax. "I'll make this short." He said tersely. "One of our own has been attacked. Slytherin has always had a…reputation, and I'll be the first to admit that some of it is well-founded. However, one thing has always been true: Slytherin looks out for its own. If you have any information about this attack, please either inform the staff or make sure the evidence of your revenge is clear before telling the staff. Thank you, and goodnight." The Slytherin's began to pair off, but Harry waited until Snape had left the room before he stood up and coughed loudly. He had to cough a few more times before he got the attention from the house.

"Er, hi. I just wanted to let you all know that, well my friends and I have reason to believe that whatever is petrifying people is a snake of some kind. I already told the Headmaster, and he told the staff, but I felt that everybody here should know too, just in case." He was about to sit down when a seventh-year boy had stood up.

"The whole school knows you are a parselmouth, so I can guess that that is how you know, but how sure are you that whatever attacked Gemma is a snake?" He asked tersely, hands clenched at his sides.

Harry blinked and imitated a goldfish and looked over to Draco for help. Draco sighed and stood up. "Well. Harry heard a voice say it wanted to kill at the same time I heard some hissing. We aren't sure at all that whatever is attacking is a snake, we just think these two things might be connected."

The Slytherins nodded; it was good enough for them. They turned back to the others to begin plans of delicious revenge, and the possibility of snakeskin boots.

Harry looked over at Draco, completely stunned. "You know, my family told me that people would be up in arms about my speaking snake talent but…Well, no one seems to care?"

A feminine cough from behind Harry caused him to jump. "Cute." The young girl said. "Tracy Davis, pleasure and all that. Anyway, some of us saw you cowering behind Polina, and that spread to everyone in the school in short order. No one can be evil and cower at the same time, so, no one cares anymore. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have…spells…to research." Harry had to resist jumping in Draco's arms in fear. Draco had to repress the memories of Polina using that tone of voice.

The two boys went to bed, slightly terrified of what their house will do. Then they remembered that Gemma Farley was attacked, and then they entertained thoughts of revenge.

They woke up the next day, and it was all normal. Until dinner. When Dumbledore stood up, he inhaled for just a bit too long before he began to speak. "I'll be brief. Another student was attacked, this time Ravenclaw's Penelope Clearwater." The Ravenclaw table growled. "Yes, I know, I share your sentiments. Whoever did this is…foolish in the extreme. So far, I know for a fact that two of our houses will unite and hunt down the perpetrator with extreme malice. Good luck, and know that we will be doing the same." He sat down grumbling angrily. You could barely make out what he was saying, but you could hear '...in my Merlin damned school...' and '...if any of my students...' It was somewhat touching.

And, he was right. Because the next day, the Slytherin and Ravenclaws spent an almost inappropriate amount of time together discussing plans for vengeance that had the other two houses horrified. It was this way for the next four days.

On the fifth day, Draco noticed that he hasn't been accosted by Polina all day. In fact, he hadn't even seen her. Again, for the third time in a week, Dumbledore stood up. "Attention students. I will ask that all of you prepare to leave Hogwarts as soon as possible. This is more serious than a petrification; a student has been kidnapped by whomever has been petrifying students, and the Aurors need all of you off the grounds immediately. The student that has been taken was…" He glanced over at Professor Zaine, who frowned minutely. "The student taken was Polina Cura." He sat down, and the hall was silent.

Zaine froze, then began shaking. Violently. "Excuse me, Headmaster," the professor said in a calm yet icy voice, "I…I need some time to myself." Without waiting to see the Headmaster nod his approval, he got up and ran to his office.

Draco sat there, absolutely still, until Harry put his hand on Draco's shoulder. "Draco. We can't do much, but we can go look for her now, and then tell the Aurors where we've searched so they can cut down the time as much as they can." Draco nodded, not saying a word. The two boys got up and ran out of the hall, Hermione hot on their heels.

[A/N]: Some of you may note that this story is losing it's quality compared to our first work. You'd be right. Second, honestly, if anybody has any ideas for another story, let me know, I need something to do in-between the two weeks till the next chapter. I might take it up, I might not. All my current ideas rely on Victor and gang having fun. I just really like semi-SI's, okay?

[E/N]: I always told the writer that having multiple projects is good. That and free time. Anyways I may be having to spearhead a few chapters so writer here can take a break. So...yeah. Enjoy that. Hope it goes well.


	8. Chapter 8

Harry Potter and Second the Careless Whispers

Chapter 8:

Red Herrings

Nurse Valka was many things; a muse, a healer, mother of the arts; one look at her and people knew she was the kind of person many could ask for advice or even tutor in almost any subject. She was well known in the school as she not only helped in the Infirmary but the Green House as well. Professor Sprout was pleased to have an extra pair of hands, as her arthritis was getting worse, and many of the plants were temperamental (the Giant Flytraps especially so). And many first years walking down the halls or even in the Herbology Greenhouse would stop and stare at the brunette in mud-stained overalls and rubber boots pass by them. With a garden towel over on one shoulder and Dragon Hide gloves in her pocket, she could've been mistaken for a new groundskeeper. The wild bird feathers that she always had woven in her hair didn't help matters any either, but her fashion was her choice.

Almost nothing could make her break down…unless it was this.

She stared blankly at the Headmaster who had just informed her that Polina had been taken to by the unknown kidnapper who had been terrorizing the school grounds lately. The _same_ kidnapper who also was to blame for the petrification curses that were rapidly gaining ground. A few minutes ago, she tried to deny it, but the truth was undeniable: All students were accounted for _except_ for Polina. Written on the walls in _chicken blood _was 'She has been taken to the Chamber of Secrets. She will not be coming back.' The Headmaster patted her shoulder and went off to try and resolve the situation, to get Aunt Valka and Uncles Zaine and Vgatahvi's darling niece back who would look up at them with mischievous eyes like she was moments away from revealing her 'dastardly' plan…

The Nurse pulled out a handkerchief from her apron pocket and dabbed at her eyes. How could this have happened? Polina was always on alert, so how was this…_thing_…able to get the best of her? Quick footsteps were heard before Zaine entered the Hospital Wing, a sad look on his face as he walked over and gave his sister a hug. "You okay?"

She shook her head, tears falling fresh from her eyes. "No, I'm…not. Zaine how could this have happened? Polina, she-!"

"I don't know. It's a mystery to me too." He then took a breath to calm down before patting Valka's shoulder. "Do we any ideas where she might be?"

"No…nothing…the attacks all have only one thing in common: petrification." She let go of Zaine and began moving around to the other patients, studying them. "The location seemed to be localized around one area of the castle, but the times are random, and there's nothing to indicate _how_ they were petrified… If I could speed up the mandrakes for the potion, I could wake them up, and we could find something, _anything_…but…"

"I know," The blond gave a heavy sigh. "Believe me, I want to break some rules myself; rush around the castle and tear it down stone by stone, but… Anyway, you know what happens when you speed up the growth of magical plant life." He rubbed his eyes, which Valka noted were framed by lines, formed by stress and lack of sleep most likely. Or something worse. "Been able to rest any at least?"

Valka couldn't help herself. She snapped. "Of course, I didn't rest _Zaine Statera_! Polina was taken who knows _how _long ago and I've been running myself ragged with worry!"

He held up his hands in surrender. "Easy there!" Zaine let them down when it was clear Valka was calmed down enough to chat socially, a hand moving to rub the bridge of his nose. "Look, why don't you go take a cat-nap. I'll wait here for Harry and the gang to show up and then join in the search for Polina and let you know if I find anything."

"I don't know-" Valka started but was immediately cut off.

"Do you want to be well-rested for when we find whoever took Polina so we can…_express our displeasure_?"

A sort of unnatural and clawing growl spread through the room, coming from both of them. "….Good point. Alright, but you come get me _immediately _when you find her." Valka placed her hand on her hips and hit Zaine with her sternest glare.

Zaine gave a mock salute before watching Valka go into her small office, next to Madam Pomfrey's. There was a cot in there in case Valka had to stay and do the night-shift on some patients. Only once the door closed, did he release the breath he had been holding. Upon the exhale, the blond seemed to float across the ground at an inhuman quickness and was out of the Infirmary in a second. His one good eye flashed icily as his voice dripped with burning malice as he growled again, muttering aloud under his breath: "Now...to hunt the world's _greatest game_..."

Hermione called out to the two Slytherin boys who were already halfway down the corridor, struggling to keep up. It seemed her plea for them to slow down fell on deaf ears, however, as they continued on their way to whatever and wherever their destination would be. And her words would, unfortunately, continue to be unheard as Draco and Harry rounded a corner and seemed to disappear. Hermione took this moment to catch her breath, rolling her eyes. "Boys…," she huffed under her breath when she could, "Of course they would go running off to who knows where without a plan." She stopped that train of thought immediately after she realized that she herself had run off with them the moment she could.

Ah well. C'est la vie.

Since there was now no point in following after the boys, she decided to strike out on her own and formulate her own plan. And it would begin with the most logical thing she could think of and go over everything she already knew on the subject: What she knew for sure was that the unknown monster or person stalking the halls had the power to petrify its prey. Harry had heard a hissing sound in the walls which somehow formed words only a Parseltongue would understand, so that meant the beast or person either also knew Parseltongue, **_or_** it was a member of the Serpentes family. Or it was a snake-man; that idea made her shudder at the mere thought of a human and snake hybrid slithering around with a noseless face and an unhinging jaw, but it was still a possibility Hermione had to take into account. Magic was unpredictable like that. Polina was also remembered and…Oh…

Remembering the news surrounding her friend made young Hermione tear up quickly. So quickly in fact, that she felt herself slump against a wall in almost a dramatic fashion which was uncommon of her. "What am I to do?" She bit her knuckle as she fought to hold back the torrent of emotions; Harry and Draco weren't in any sort of anguish like this, so why should she be the only one to break down? No. No, Hermione needed to be strong in this time of crisis! Heck, she and her friends had taken out Lord Voldemort last year! Hermione needed to do what she must to get her friend back, with or without the boys' help. Okay, of _course_ they would help, but since they weren't with her currently, they would be ruled out for now. But where would she begin? There were so many avenues to tread and many other things to rule out and ponders to –

"Bloody hell, that's it!"

"What do you mean you can't find him?" Dumbledore asked sternly.

"It is just as I said," Professor McGonagall responded sharply from where she sat. "When I and a few others on the staff went to look for Professor Statera, he was gone."

"His office wasn't even locked," Flitwick added as a few other teachers and staff nodded in agreement.

A groan of frustration left the Headmaster as he leaned back slowly and closed his eyes. "Wonderful. Bloody one-hundred-percent organic **_wonderful_**. Why is it whenever there is a crisis, we cannot seem to get all hands-on-deck when we need it?"

"Headmaster, if I may…?" Snape spoke up, quiet and calm. When Dumbledore waved a hand for him to continue, he did. "We have a few mandrakes at the ready, according to Madame Pomfrey and her assistant. When the draught is made, the students-"

"And Ms. Norris!" Filch interrupted loudly.

"…Yes…" Severus Snape rolled his eyes. "When the students and the cat are awake, they will tell us who or what is terrorizing the castle. At least we have that in our favor."

"Right. Well, at least we have _that_," Dumbledore huffed sarcastically. "Meanwhile we have a student missing and a threat written in _chicken blood_, a Hospital Wing filled with _petrified_ _students_, and several, count them Severus, _several_ missing teachers!

McGonagall set things back on track. "While the missing Statera and Lockhart are a matter of some concern, we need to figure out what to do about current events; students are being sent home, which is the right thing to do in this situation. But we still need a plan of attack on whatever or whoever is terrorizing our beloved school."

"I have an idea on who it is…" Madame Hooch started to speak, but Dumbledore raised a finger. "But who else would-"

Dumbledore loudly shushed her as he sat up, glaring at all in attendance. "Don't. Don't even think about finishing that sentence. Don't even think about it at all!"

"It is a possibility we cannot ignore!" Hooch glared back.

"And I for one have considered many possibilities since this whole thing began! And none of this points to being Riddle. None. Of. It." Dumbledore glared audibly, which confused several teachers. "The closest thing to 'evidence' that supports you is the fact that Riddle showed up in person _last year_. And none of the attacks or crimes committed in this school have been against myself **or** Harry Potter, so we can definitely add another rule against the matter."

"How can you be so sure?" Snape asked, still calm as ever.

"Severus, would it kill you to have an emotion other than stone!?"

"Sorry Headmaster, I am known for my expertise in Potions and Alchemy, not my wit."

Dumbledore sighed and sagged back into his seat. "Believe me, old friends, if there was but a _single_ shred of evidence that Riddle was back this year, I would rush into it wand _blazing_ too be rid of him. As it stands, there is none. If you find any, let me know."

Madam Hooch nodded and asked one last question. "You know how to be rid of him for good then?"

"Oh, goodness no." Dumbledore dashed all hope. "The most I can do is give us peace for the rest of the year. And maybe the next."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "You have been researching for years now, Headmaster. _Years_. There is nothing you can do?"

Dumbledore's spine straightened, and the gather Professors shivered at the iron that seemed to return to the war veteran. "The only method I have gathered involves the murder of an innocent life, possibly several. I will _never_ resort to that, and Riddle will feel my displeasure for forcing me to even _entertain_ that notion."

Deep inside The Second Most Magnificent Manor, a figure paced back and forth across the floor. Under its breath, the man muttered and mumbled in a strange archaic yet also not entirely human dialect, and it was clear that it was **_not_** happy at all. Finally, it stopped pacing in front of a large window overlooking some sort of grounds outside and stared out at everything the light and shadows touched. "You know," he said with an American accent. "I tried to be nice about this. I let Riddle have his fun terrorizing the world, heck I even left some of my own tips and tricks lying around for him to find and give _me_ more entertainment. Then I let him have his own fun in Hogwarts just so I could snatch his goal away from him in his moment of defeat… Isn't that right Phil?" He turned to address the red glowing rock sitting atop a mound of paperwork that was placed on top of an elaborate desk. The figure listened as if something was being said back, finally nodding as he went back to pacing. "That's _right;_ I've been _very_ nice about this whole thing. And I haven't indiscriminately slaughtered _anyone_ since this whole thing started! That's got to count for something, right?"

Phil sat there, as he was a rock. Magical? Yes. Rock? Also yes.

"I know!" The figure threw his hands up. "I've been so _generous_ too! But…then he took my niece. One of my _apprentices_. The one thing I told Riddle before I stomped his ass back to Britain, the _one thing: _Don't. Fuck. With. My. **_Family_**_._" The figure glared at the rock on his desk. "Phil you fucking _know_ what I'm going to do about it. I'm going to Hogwarts and getting my niece back and teaching that asswipe a lesson. _Again._ My niece will be safe again, and Riddle will rue the day he decided to fuck with the plans within plans surrounding **_my plans_**. Or my name isn't Victor Gealtach!"

Victor picked up Phil from his desk and started out the door. "First things first, gotta _find_ Polina..."

Phil did nothing.

"Of _course_, I know how to find her, you idiot! Divination may be a failing art, but they just don't know how to do it right!"

Phil did nothing again, only shining in the light.

"No, _you're_ crazy for talking to a rock! _I'm _just so overcome with concern for my niece that I feel the need to vocalize my thought process, so I don't wallow in misery waiting for any word of her alive or…" Victor choked up. "Or worse! I need to do something, so I'm… I mean, _we_ are going to do something! I just…" He sighed. "I just need to say it out loud, okay?"

Phil glowed brightly.

Victor blinked. "Oh shit, you're a _magical_ rock, I forgot. Uh, anyway." He shook his head. "Let's go. Fuck the Floo, I'm apparating to Hogwarts grounds and then _running_. I'll ask for 'permission,'" Victor rolled his eyes as he finished getting ready to leave, kitted out with all his most dangerous artifacts, "a_fter_ I find her and get everything settled. You, my friend…" Victor tossed the rock up to catch it again. "Are going to be _very_ helpful indeed. Riddle wants immortality." Victor hissed. "Then I'll fuckin _give it to him_." The last noise the house heard was the sound of gears grinding against each other and a sharp crack in the air.

"Professor!" Draco shouted loudly as he and Harry began to round the corner to Professor Zaine's office. Upon actually coming within eye contact with it, however, the two boys stopped. The door to the office was wide open, the door ajar near its stopping point and the light from a lamp on his desk on full blast. "What…?"

Something wasn't right; Harry could feel it in his giblets and pinkie toes. Zaine was a bit odd, yes, but he would never just leave his office open to the general public of Hogwarts and then some. "Do...Do you suppose he already went to go find Polina?"

"Maybe," Draco frowned, "but he would have come find us. Find _me_."

They continued to stare. A minute passed.

"Should..." Harry started.

Draco frowned. "No...No, we _really_ shouldn't. I mean, Zaine is a respected member of Hogwarts. If we get caught-"

"That's a very big if." Harry looked around for a second. Seeing no one, he pointed to the open room. "Look, what if someone broke into his office? What if they were looking for something? Or _someone_!?"

"I'm more surprised you are the one wanting to break a few rules, and possibly get expelled, for what we may be about to do." Draco stammered, still unsure. But it seemed Harry's words were getting to him little by little. Finally, he nodded. "Bah, fuck the school system. Polina is in peril, and now my Uncle-in-law is missing, we gotta do this ourselves."

"Again." Harry sighed.

On the count of three, the two quickly went in. In appearance, the office Professor Zaine Statera called his private quarters was about as normal as one could be. Well...as normal as it would look with a toppled over bookshelf, papers were strewn about haphazardly, a family portrait on the floor, and all manner of things messed with. Clearly, someone was in here before the boys, and they had searched for something, but what it may have been was an unknown variable. But it was clear whatever they were looking for, they wanted it _badly_.

"So, we can rule out that Professor Zaine did this himself?" Harry asked, hands on his hips as he surveyed the room.

"Definitely." Draco huffed, frowning at the mess. "He _might_ have destroyed this office in a fit of rage at whoever kidnapped Polina, but he would _never_ remove that portrait from the wall…I would say someone broke into his office and left as soon as they found what they were looking for."

"This is all so...odd.."

"Harry, we are wizards living in a dueling lifestyle between the non-magical world and our own. Everything is odd." Draco snorted.

"No, seriously." Harry placed a hand on his chin, thinking. "Don't you think this whole thing is a bit of a coincidence?" Seeing Draco stare at him blankly, Harry continued. "A strange creature is petrifying students and staff members-"

"And cats." Draco chimed in, obviously referring to Ms. Norris.

"Right. Cats too," Harry nodded.

"And bloody hell knows what else…," Draco continued.

"Seriously..." Harry ushered the two of them out of the office to the hallway they had initially come down, now talking in a hushed whisper. "...The attacks begin. Headmaster Dumbledore and the others are beyond busy trying to figure this all out. Most of the students are going home, and shite knows if they are coming back after this. Literal chaos is happening around us."

"Could have told you that much," Draco grumbled, only to slowly widen his eyes and look back tot he room. "You don't mean...someone on the _inside_ planned this?"

Harry nodded. "Without a doubt. All the evidence points to it, and if it were someone on the outside trying to cause trouble, like Voldemort, we would know by now." He looked back at Zaine's office and seemed to ponder something. "But why _his_ office? Of all the ones that would hold importance in the entire school, why this? Not Dumbledore or Snape or even Filch, Merlin knows what he has locked up in there."

Draco seemed lost in thought for a few moments before he blinked. "Oh, ballocks..."

"What?" Harry asked.

"I just realized something." Draco looked around quickly, concern on his face. "Where's Hermione?"

A few moments of quiet went between the two as the realization that their trio was down to two sunk in. Without another word, the two ran back down the hallway. After a few turns and opening and shutting of doors, Harry and Draco ended up back at Professor Zaine's office….somehow.

"Did you find her?" Draco panted heavily.

"No." Harry wheezed. "But I did find Neville and a few of the others."

"Oh yeah? What are they up to?"

"Some are packing up to leave, but most are staying here to form a plan of attack. I said we could indulge in a little rule-breaking if it means saving Hogwarts from some damn terrorist."

"Bloody good work." Draco gave a thumbs up, finally starting to recover. "So uh...what now?"

"What's that?" Harry was cleaning his glasses and wiping sweat from his brow. They had both ran around Hogwarts very, _very_ fast.

"I mean...Give me a second…," Draco stood back up to full height and took a deep breath. "How are we to proceed with this? With Hermione gone to who knows where, we now have to worry about her **and **Polina."

Harry shook his head. "Knowing our dear pyromaniac in the making, I think she went to get help. Hopefully, she found someone we can trust."

Draco nodded and took another look around. "So uh...okay. Good. Let's…Let's search for Professor Statera."

"You won't get very far, I'm afraid." A voice echoed from down the hallway. The same hallway that Professor Snape was standing in, arms crossed. And as if it wasn't bad enough, coming up from the rear was Headmaster Dumbledore, McGonagall, and a few other teachers, each sharing a slightly different expression to what they were seeing.

Harry and Draco stood there out of breath, nearby the open door of Professor Zaine's now torn up and messed with office, and paled a shade of white no human should ever turn."Fuck," the two said in unison.

**[A/N]**: This chapter written in part by frequent reviewer Sunrise Phoenix and the editor. And me, I also wrote part of this. So here's the thing. I'm going to finally start up my massive Mass Effect fic sometime this week. Don't know when I'll post it but it'll probably be about the same time as the next part of book two. Zaine will also be there, and also Victor. The, the guy I just formally introduced you all to, the one right up above this author's note. Anyway, While Zaine was the main'ish' character here, in Mass Effect, it is Victor. And there _is _a reason why these characters are there, I just can't tell you until book…four of HP at the earliest.

**[E/N]**: We could post our other already completed works though (one in particular comes to mind…), but I am sure we do not want to spoil anything for the dear readers, so there is also that to consider. Still, I am very happy with our progress. Could be loads better but at least we are finally getting things done! And yes, Author of this one, PLEASE post the Mass Effect one. It was the fic that started this whole thing in the first place!


	9. Chapter 9

**Harry Potter and Second the Careless Whispers**

**Chapter 9: The Chamber is Found**

"Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter. You are being charged with not only breaking and entering into Professor Statera's office, but _also_ pilfering personal belongings of said Professor and ransacking the room to where even magical repair methods would prove insufficient." Mr. Filch read the transcript in his hands before looking up at the two boys with a cruel smile. "Furthermore, we have a statement from Professor Snape that, when he went to look for you two on accounts of 'Probably doing something foolish,' he found some illegal wizarding items and charms in your dorm!" At this, the Squib clicked his tongue like a mother scolding a child.

"This is bullshit!" Harry exclaimed loudly, only to be silenced by Professor Binns as he raised a finger. He looked over to where Hagrid sat and looked for support, but the half-giant stayed silent as he stared at the floor, actively avoiding eye contact with his big arms crossed.

"As crazy as it may be to believe, Mr. Potter," Filch sneered while pocketing the transcript, "Celebrities are not above the law. Even those who have bested ol' You-Know-Who."

"Headmaster, you don't honestly believe we did this do you?" Draco asked frantically, looking over to where Dumbledore was sitting at the front of the long table. When he didn't reply, Draco pressed further. "Harry and I-"

"That is quite enough from the both of you." McGonagall eyed them with a cold stare from where she was sitting on their left. "You had a chance to make your story known, and there is nothing you can say further to sway us one way or another." When Harry opened his mouth to speak, the woman leaned forward, glare turning to ice. "We hope you understand the situation you are in currently and act accordingly. This is not a game, or some prank like the Weasley twins. This…"

Dumbledore spoke then, cutting McGonagal off. "How do we not know you are conspiring with the terrorist at this very moment?"

Professor Snape, who had been quiet for a while, stood up suddenly and cleared his throat. "May I have a word?" When no one rejected, he nodded. "I have been the Head of Slytherin House for some time. And not once have I had any inkling of a thought that these two boys would cause any harm on such a grand scale; standing here, I still do not believe it." Seeing Filch raise his hand to begin making some sort of interruption, Snape countered by pointing a finger at the man. "Yes, I know what you are going to say: "But you found all those illegal items in their room! How could they ever be innocent?" And to this, you are correct. But items such as these can be forged here on Hogwarts grounds with the right equipment and knowledge in even the seediest and cheapest of cauldrons." A few teachers nodded in agreement, mumbling to each other.

"If someone did indeed do as you claimed," Madame Hooch, always playing Devil's advocate, began, "why would they frame these two and not a fellow staff member or even the Headmaster?"

"You all speak nonsense." Dumbledore took off his spectacles and polished them on his robe before putting them back on, "It's quite clear that these twelve-year-old boys snuck into the room of a man that one considers family (and the other is getting there) to ransack the room, go back to their _own_ rooms, leave evidence all over in what is clearly a haphazard attempt to confuse us into thinking twelve-year-old boys don't know _precisely _what the skin of a wolf and a crude ritual circle is for, and come back to the scene of the crime they committed earlier that night for what is no doubt a diabolical plot to revive the man that killed Harry's parents and would _certainly _kill Draco's for their betrayal earlier in the war. We must punish these students to the fullest extent of Hogwarts policy. Boys! Present your wrists!" Dumbledore declared, and it was so. Harry and Draco extended their wrists. Dumbledore then walked up to them and hit their wrists quite firmly. "Bad. Bad children. No dessert…" he then whirled on the teachers. "_No dessert for you bloody __**idiots**_ _who don't even bother to __**think**_!" The force of his disappointment sent waves of humiliation through the assembled teachers.

Well, all except for Snape. He nodded, "Obviously, they didn't do it. If they _did_ then they wouldn't have gotten caught; they are Slytherins, and only other Slytherins or those just as cunning would figure it out. No, when you think about it, the culprit is obvious."

All eyes focused on Dumbledore, who nodded gravely. "Yes, it is. And if anyone, besides Snape and I, doesn't guess in the next thirty seconds…_no more pudding._"

The assembled adults had to blink for a moment. That didn't seem like much of a threat, but the Headmaster said it so gravely that it seemed like it was? The confusion lingered for several more seconds, before…

"_It was Lockhart!_" The voices of two boys broke them of their stupor before they put on a disappointed face, to remind them that no Hogwarts teacher would _ever_-

"Excellent, pudding is back on." The Headmaster smiled and pat the two boys on the head.

"What?!" Filch paled, a few staff members sharing his confusion.

"My Slytherins are correct," Snape nodded as a feeling of pride swelled for two of his brightest students. "Of all the staff in Hogwarts, only two are missing: Zaine, and Gilderoy. Zaine wouldn't ransack his own office. Trash? Most certainly. Loot? _Why_? No, for whatever reason, Gilderoy Lockhart has used Hogwarts most recent tragedy to steal from a prominent member of our community and place blame on our own students." Snape then turned to glare at the teachers, and it was somehow as potent as Dumbledore's Disappointment™. "The same students, I'll remind you, who _have saved this entire school and the wizarding world from Voldemort last. Bloody. __**Year**_."

"Indeed. And now, we have a culprit for the petrifications." Dumbledore's face morphed into a frown. "But, and pardon my French, he is full of shite. It will take a lot more than a small diversion to make us stop searching. First, my school comes to risk, then they steal a student and has done who knows what, and now…now they have the balls to try and trick the staff into thinking a student was the cause of all this. This madness ends tonight!"

With a speed and intimidating gait that Harry and Draco had never seen, and some battle-hardened wizards and witches would most likely want to forget, Albus Dumbledore drew his wand and stomped out of the room in a similar fashion to what Harry would expect even the great King Arthur to leave a room full of determination. Soon the rest of the staff shuffled out behind him, till only Severus Snape, Harry Potter, and Draco Malfoy remained. The room was eerily silent.

"Let me make myself clear…," Snape said coldly, eyeing both of the boys with an unblinking stare as he sat up as straight as a tomb. "I do not believe you are one-hundred percent innocent. You both are up to something, and it is written all over your faces." As Harry and Draco eyed each other, the professor continued. "But, seeing as one of our own has been taken, and the rest of the Houses may soon be in danger, I will not stop you from what you may do to make sure these events do not unfold further."

The two boys waited for a second to see if Snape was joking. Honestly, they could have interpreted that in hundreds of ways. But when Snape raised an eyebrow, they knew he wasn't. And without another word, the Slytherins bolted out the room.

Left alone sitting at the large table, Severus sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Today was beginning to be a long day… Once this whole business was dealt with, he wouldn't mind taking a vacation.

"Considering a holiday so soon, Severus?" A voice spoke from the shadows, the form of Professor Vgatahvi coming over to sit with him.

"You have no idea…" Snape grumbled, hand now moving to his face.

Vgatahvi chuckled and handed the professor a Butterbeer. "Just got back from Hogsmead with a pint for ol' Zaine, but the guy has buggered off somewhere. Thought you could use the pick me up instead."

Looking at the pint for a moment, Snape took the cold beverage with a thankful look on his face. "I was considering a week or two when my beloved has some time off. We have a summer cottage in the Isles that looks very tempting right now." A long sip before he continued. "Far away from this madness."

"Eh," Vee took a large gulp, a small trickle going down his chin. Smacking his lips after setting the glass down, a hiccup left him. "Madness can be a good thing. Keeps ya on your toes."

"Speaking of madness, what do you think of all this with the Chamber of Secrets?" Snape raised a brow in his direction, taking another sip.

A snort was Vgatahvi's reply. "Some people think it is you or Potter. But then again, Potter would make some sort of sense due to…well, you know."

"Do you know where the Chamber may be?" Snape asked.

"We have a hunch." Vee smiled into his drink, a glint in his eye. "And Professor Zaine…among others…we know a fair bit more than we let on, ya know? Course, we can't say for sure where it might be, considering all that's changed. And the fact that Hogwarts itself is alive in ways we've rarely seen before… But even if we knew _exactly_ where it was, we wouldn't do much. We all swore an Oath not to interfere in your lives too much, our little…cabal…"

The last statement made the Head of Slytherin house choke on his drink. "How many?"

Vee brought a finger to his nose and tapped it twice. "Ah, but that would be telling, now wouldn't it? Besides, again, if I already mentioned or not, I am sworn to secrecy on the matter. Though, between you and me, I sent a formal letter to Dumbledore telling him all I could tell about us. Professionally I cannot say anything more on the matter…" The glint returned to his eye in full force as the portly man's smile widened. "But, you better hope that we never _have_ to get involved. Too late for that Lockhart fellow that took Polina…when Zaine gets his hands on him…well it won't be pretty, but he'd still better pray that's it's not _Zaine_ that finds him first. The others…well…" Vgatahvi's eyes glinted madly in the light, and all the world seemed to flicker for the power and malice he was generating. "We'd all do horrible things, but Zaine would be far _slower_ than we'd be. He doesn't admit it, but when it comes to killing those who deserve the pain and suffering of a thousand eons, he has a lot in common with-"

Something made him unable to finish that sentence, a loud cough leaving him. "Sorry. Anyways, yes, Lockhart is doomed. Down the hatch!"

As much as Snape felt fear for the Cabal of wizards and witches who counted men like Zaine and Vgatahvi among their number, he also felt empathy. They put their hearts before their desires, and at least all they desired right now was to hurt what attacked a piece of their heart. Snape gripped the glass tightly thinking of a young girl with red hair, and the snake who killed her. He really could empathize.

* * *

"We have to find the Chamber of Secrets," Draco stated as he and Harry ran for who knows where.

"Thank you, Captain _Bloody __**Obvious!**_" Harry shouted. "But unless you have an idea where we can go to find the Chamber of Secrets, let's just focus on running as fast as we can!"

Draco skipped a step. "I have an idea! Stop running!" Harry stopped and turned a curious eye towards Draco. And Draco turned to kick the wall of Hogwarts, and Harry smacked himself in the head. Draco started to yell at the wall he just kicked. "Oi, we need to find Polina, a student who has been kidnapped probably by a staff member who betrayed the Hogwarts charter! We need to find them so we can run back and tell the teachers where they are so they can do their jobs!"

Harry blinked. Somehow he forgot that the castle was alive in some ways, and if anything was likely to get Hogwarts going, it was definitely that sentence. Harry and Draco had the urge to turn around, so they did. And behind them was…

"The girls' bathroom," Draco said, quite calmly with a face devoid of expression. "This is the girls'_ bathroom_. Professor Lockhart kidnapped my betrothed and spirited her away to the girls' bathroom." Draco turned to his friend. "Harry. I'm going to kill him. I don't know why he took Polina to the girls' bathroom, but whatever the reason, it can't be good, so he's going to die. Slowly. Painfully. Don't stop me."

Harry clasped Draco's shoulder and spoke with the same amount of calm that Draco did and a face equally devoid of emotion. "I'm not going to stop you. Polina may be your betrothed, but she is also a dear friend. So I'm not going to stop you, I'm going to _help_ you."

Draco turned to the bathroom and stepped forward. "And, contrary to what I just told Hogwarts, we aren't going to the teachers, because they will likely stop us."

Harry stepped a bit more briskly to open the door. "Indeed. We can't have that now, can we? Our Head of House told us to do what we must, so we must uphold that order."

Draco pulled out his wand, gripped it tightly, and entered, with Harry echoing his movements. "There doesn't appear to be anyone in here, so there is likely a hidden passageway. Considering the Chamber of Secrets was built by Salazar Slytherin, we should look for a snake motif."

Harry nodded. "Quite so, and he'll likely have enchanted it with parselmagic, so only one who could speak the language could find it." He turned to Draco, knuckles starting to turn white. "If you don't mind, I'll simply yell out 'Open' in parseltongue to expedite things."

Draco nodded and gestured towards the room with his wand. "Please do."

Harry cleared his throat twice and inhaled deeply. §_Open up before we blast this room to pieces_!§ He bellowed.

Draco clapped his wand to his hand in an imitation of a clap, as a sink in the back corner lept open at Harry's command. "Well done, sir."

Harry nodded politely. "Thank you, sir. Shall we enter this hole and murder everything on the other side to rescue Polina?"

Draco stepped forward. "Oh, yes, let's."

They jumped in the hole with the same expression of their face. Nothing at all.

Behind them, just after they jumped, Victor walked into the bathroom. "I told you Phil: follow the students, and they'll lead us right to the Chamber!" He exclaimed gleefully.

Phil trembled with rage.

Victor scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous, this is _malicious_ glee. I reached the same conclusion that the boys did, so of _course_ I'm pissed beyond sanity." Victor smiled, cheerfully. "Only I went the opposite direction because I know this can also be a bonding experience for Harry, Draco, and I."

Phil's googly eyes wobbled.

"Oh yes, they're quite young, so they have neither the knowledge nor the experience that I do, so I'm going to help them _punish_ Lockhart."

Phil's googly eyes tilted to one side, giving the stone a cross-eyed glare.

"Yes, the googly eye's were necessary, now shut up and let's head on after them. Hup!" Victor exclaimed before jumping into the hole.


	10. Chapter 10

**Harry Potter and Second the Careless Whispers**

**Chapter 10: The Menace of Gilderoy Lockhart**

What may have supposedly been a staircase once upon a time, had now become an uncomfortable slide of pure blackness, spiraling down, down, down into the heart of Hogwarts. Harry had the idea that the route to the Chamber had no end, although it was a fleeting notion because he soon landed face down into the dust and ash of an underground cavern. Draco followed soon arrived after, landing nearby, though Harry couldn't tell how far exactly his friend was. No words were exchanged for a second or two before Harry coughed and tried to speak. "My head feels like it was unscrewed and then popped back into place like some child's toy…" Even in the misty darkness that surrounded him, Harry felt as if the space around him was spinning. Dizziness had swarmed his whole being, and he had to force himself not to vomit.

"I think I broke my ass," Draco stated from wherever he was. The sound of something moving a few feet away told Harry where his friend had landed, and the sharp wince followed by a swear told him Malfoy was alright for the most part. "Hey Harry, where are you? I can't see anything."

"I know. It's as black as Tartarus' pits." Harry replied, also now trying to get up and stumble around.

"You mean the actual pits, or like an armpit?"

"Does it really matter, Draco?"

"Maybe." Draco's voice alone told Harry he had shrugged.

"Alright, then I'm referring to Tartarus' armpit as he's sitting in a pit."

"Makes perfect sense, thanks."

A bright light soon broke the blackness like a beacon in the middle of a storm, emanating from Draco's wand. Harry soon followed suit, and the two looked relieved to have some sort of light source so they could see where the tunnel spit them out. The place was old, moss and other vegetation growing around the crumbled rocky floor. Honestly, the ambiance of the caverns was on the top of anyone's mind concerning where some evil wizard would kidnap someone and hold her ransom. They wouldn't be surprised if this had been Lockhart's evil lair the whole time he had been at Hogwarts, secretly plotting for…whatever it was he was planning.

"Where do we go from here?" Harry asked, already looking down one route.

Draco didn't answer immediately, gazing at all angles. "I believe…this way." He motioned to the opposite direction.

"What makes you say that?" Harry asked, inquisitively.

The wand lowered to the ground. There, clear as day, were a fresh set of footprints. Who they belonged to was beyond them, but it was a good start as any towards enacting their grand rescue. Silently the two crept along the trail like bloodhounds with a scent, the light of their wands the only small comfort they shared. Around them, the darkness seemed to lighten a little from some far-off light in the distance, and the two had to restrain themselves from running towards it; the light, human-made or organic, could be the first indication of a trap. Luckily both boys were not stupid or overly courageous (as that was a Gryffindor thing, and they were proper Slytherins), as the more prominent choice of staying as hidden as possible kept them checking their surroundings before making any move whatsoever. Thus far, their travel in the cavern seemed eerily quiet and almost serene; the lack of life almost made them question if the Chamber was anywhere near where they ended up. Perhaps they had taken the wrong tunnel, and there was another that Lockhart had taken? But then who did those footprints belong to? Were they footprints at all, or if they indeed were, who was to say they were not made by someone eons ago and froze in time like the rest of the cavernous tunnels?

It wasn't until they decided to turn down a bend did Draco suddenly give an "Oh!" and Harry almost screamed in terror, clamping his hand on his mouth hard to stifle it. There, coiled only a few feet from where they were standing in a darkened open room, was a snake. Rather, a monstrous serpent from the stuff of nightmares. It seemed the boys had found their Basilisk. Silent as possible, the two Slytherins crept like church mice on the tipsiest of their toes, sweat beading on their heads like bullets as the lights from their wands were doused as they desperately tried to make themselves as mouse-like as possible. Draco looked at Harry halfway around, eyes widened in terror, and Harry met him with the same stare. A moment passed where they both thought they were going to have a high chance of dying at any second.

Suddenly Harry tripped and fell backward. Panic tensed his being, body going rigid as stone, as he stared up at the massive head of the beast. Draco gasped and raised his wand in the effort to hopefully be able to fire off a curse to discombobulate or blind the thing to save his friend. A second passed. Then two.

"Draco, lower your wand," Harry stated with a shaky breath.

"What?" Draco blanched; his wand still raised. "But it's-"

Harry slowly got up and, much to Draco's surprise, knocked on the thing's nose area. "It's not real."

Wand finally lowering, Draco just stared. He didn't dare come any closer. "So, it's like…a puppet or something?"

"No, this is more like…shed skin?"

"That's disturbing."

"Kind of cool though." Harry began to move his hand across the snakeskin.

"Cool until the one who shed it comes to eat us." Draco shivered in disgust.

Harry raised an eyebrow at him as he slowed his hand to a stop, but figured he had a point. "So, uh…you think the teachers are behind us?"

Draco nodded, his nerves still on edge. "They better be. I do not want to die down here because they couldn't do their job."

"To be fair, they are doing their best. Dumbledore probably knows where other entrances are that only the Headmaster would know of. I'm sure they are planning a valiant assault on the Chamber even as we speak." At this, they each shared a long sigh; hopefully, the literal horde of Aurors and teachers could work together to actually come before the bad guy attacked them with murder in their eyes. "Anyways, let's keep going. If we are lucky, we can get Polina saved without any death-defying antics."

"Aw, but that is not as fun." Draco pouted a little. Harry had to agree.

At that moment, a noise whispered from down the corridor near their position. The two boys looked at each other and gulped, immediately beginning to resume their search; whatever that sound was, they didn't want to be anywhere near it in case it was the real Basilisk.

* * *

"I cannot believe that the whole entirety of Hogwarts' staff hasn't made a valiant assault on the damn Chamber yet." Victor hissed as he trudged along in the darkness. The only source of light he had was from Phil, who was now attached to a hardy branch of ebony wood, glowing red in all his mystical glory. "Stupid Aurors and their stupid Minister who can't seem to get off his ass and actually DO anything."

Phil gave a small glint as a tinkling noise came in reply.

"That is a wonderful idea, Phil! I should put myself into the next election." Victor smiled brightly.

As he was walking, he suddenly stopped to tie his shoes. Which, to him, was weird because his shoes were _already_ tied. Still, he re-tied his shoes because he was already down there, and why not? When he stood back up, he came face to face with a basilisk, and was idly wondering why he hadn't turned to stone yet… "Phil, I'm looking at a basilisk here. Why aren't I a stone?"

Phil did not respond. Victor would have surmised that his friend had turned to stone, but then remembered Phil was indeed a stone.

Instead, he blinked and tilted his head as the giant snake began moving oddly. Then, the snake started hissing at him, and he got upset. "No, your mother was a mongoose!" He glared at the snake, who suddenly yelped like a twelve-year-old boy. Victor blinked. Snakes don't sound like that… "Waitaminute! This isn't a snake! It's one or more twelve-year-old boys in a snake suit!"

"Dammit, he's onto us! Hit him with the most powerful spell you know," a voice muttered from within the snake.

"I am a twelve-year-old boy; the most powerful spell I know is the one that turns his rock into a bird!" Said another.

Victor threw his hands in the air. "I surrender! Don't take Phil away from me!"

"Uh…yes! That's right! Fear me and return Polina!" The first voice roared as snake-like as it could…forgetting the fact that snakes never roar in their slithery lifespans.

Victor blinked, hands slowly lowering. "I don't have her, but if you give me a couple of hours to find and rescue her, I'm sure we can work this out…"

"Wait, you aren't working with Lockhart to kidnap Polina for no doubt nefarious purposes?"

Victor sighed. "If I wanted to kidnap my niece, I would need to fill out the proper forms and submit them to her in triplicate. There's a process you need to follow, and since Lockhart didn't follow the rules, I have to punish him. _Severely_."

Phil glowed brightly.

"_No_ Phil, I'm not saying that's the only reason, but once that kid said 'nefarious purposes,' well I needed something to distract myself from this murderous rage. We've been over this already." Victor sighed. "Although I can understand how it would seem that way from an outsider's perspective."

"Uh, before we come out there and no doubt team up to defeat this horrible enemy, can you tell me how you can speak snake? Are you a natural parseltongue?" The second voice asked.

Victor rolled his eyes. "Just because it's a magical language, doesn't mean it can't be learned like a non-magical language. Time, patience, and more than a bit of trial and error work wonders."

"Oh…yeah that makes sense. We're coming out!" Two heads popped out from inside the snake, one covered in black hair and the other covered in blond.

"Oh. Hey Victor," Draco said casually. "Funny seeing you here."

Victor blinked. "I thought you and your Potter ally would've been deeper by now, but this works too. I suppose…"

Draco frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Victor shrugged. "I thought you'd be deeper in the chamber and I'd have to hurry and catch up to you." He smiled. "But that's all in the past, let's talk for a moment, boys!"

Harry raised his hand. "Are you one of Polina's uncles?"

Victor raised his hand. "Yes, yes I am. You can call me Victor, by the way. Also, why are we doing this when we need to go and save Polina? Walk with me," He turned around and began strolling deeper into the chamber, the two boys trailing behind him. "First off, we need to talk about what you are going to do to Lockhart when you find him."

Draco frowned. "I was going to hit him repeatedly until every bone in his body broke."

Harry shrugged. "I was going to hit him repeatedly in the kidney."

Victor smiled. "Points for enthusiasm. I'll join you in the beating, but after that, I suggest you 'accidentally let him escape.' There are a lot of people who want to hurt him as badly as you do, and one of them is me."

The tall, dark-haired, and scary man in a suit pat them on the head as both boys smiled at that. "I'm glad we could bond over our mutual hatred of Lockhart."

Draco suddenly had a thought. "Hey Vic, have you seen Zaine anywhere? I was sure we would have bumped into him eventually, but he hasn't popped up." When Victor didn't respond, the blond tried again. "You think he is in trouble or something?"

A laugh was the reply Draco received before Victor calmed himself. "If anything, the dumbass is running towards the danger to beat the daylight and nighttime out of it two ways from oblong crocodiles."

"So…you haven't seen him?"

Victor sighed. "No. No, I have not."

After a few minutes of walking, they found themselves in a massive room with a giant bust of Salazar Slytherin, a young boy, and Polina lying on the ground. At this, Victor raised an eyebrow. "Hm. It seems we were mistaken. Lockhart didn't kidnap Polina, this young pretty boy did. It seems he dragged her down into the Chamber of Secrets for reasons unknown."

Draco glared. "Shall we proceed with the plan?"

Harry hissed and leapt at the teen without any validation on the plan. Draco soon followed suit and walked sedately over to his target, cracking his knuckles. Victor poked Polina. Phil…just sat on the stick like a good rock.

Several minutes later, the boy was laying on the ground in a puddle of pain, and Polina still wasn't responding to the advanced medical techniques. But the trio figured Madame Pomfrey and Nurse Valka would figure all this out and were planning a quick ending to their plans of revenge. Honestly, it seemed as if the plan was going rather smoothly! …A little too smoothly.

"How's it coming?" Draco called back to Victor as he kicked the boy in the stomach.

Victor didn't reply. Instead, he began joining in on the torment of the pretty boy on the ground taking the beating he was receiving from two children and a grown man. "Talk, damn you! What have you done to my niece?!"

Harry then spoke, his punching slowed. "Uh…guys? I don't think this is working."

Draco, now panting for breath, nodded. "Yeah, I feel like we are beating a dead horse."

Victor suddenly gasped, leaping back. "Wait! What if it IS a dead horse, bewitched to look like a man!?" At that, Draco and Harry both stilled and looked at each other; one had the expression that had no idea what the man was talking about, as the other who knew what usually happened in these situations slowly stood up and took a huge step back. Sure enough, there came a loud "POOF" and there on the ground was indeed a freshly killed, now beaten up _something_, though it wasn't a horse thankfully. Instead, it looked more like some sort of –

"That bloody bastard!" Harry hissed with equal parts shock. "He made us beat up a poor bludger attached to a scarecrow. No wonder it wouldn't stop moving."

"It seems Lockhart has outwitted us. Again." Draco huffed, wiping his hands on his robes. "How far away do you think he is by now?"

"On the contrary…," a voice boomed out from seemingly everywhere around the three. "…I am much closer than you think, you dimwitted baboons! You thought it was that boy who kidnapped Polina, but it was I, _Lockhart_!" From high on top of the bust of ol' Salazar stood the man of the hour himself, clapping his hands slowly with a smug look on his face.

"**Gilderoy**!" All three seemed to yell at once, pointing their fingers up at him with equal parts malice and wrath. Lockhart sneered at them from high atop his pedestal. It seemed he enjoyed the moment he was currently basking in, even as Victor took a step forward. "Listen you fuck, I don't know what your game is here, but you will return my niece to normal. Or so help you…"

"Your niece?" Lockhart raised a curious expression for a second before something seemed to dawn on him. "Ahh…It seems I have hastened my plans further than I expected. Most excellent." He then waved a dismissive hand, "Yes, yes you may take the youngling as I have no further use for her. Polina Cura gave me all the information I need and more." Draco went to leap at Lockhart, distance be damned, but the older wizard merely chuckled. "Don't be so droll, Malfoy. I didn't do anything to her in any such low-collar fashion; that sort of act is beneath one who is soon to be equal to God."

Victor roared with amusement. "Oh, great. Look out, boys; we got ourselves a false prophet on our hands. What'cha gonna do, walk on water and feed every bird in the world with nothing but sand?"

A moment of anger passed along Lockhart's face as he pointed directly at Victor, spewing venom with each word. "Of all present here at this moment, YOU are the last person to say such things. And you have no right to say or do that, either!"

"Geez, it was just a joke." Victor snorted softly through his nose.

"These two don't know, do they?" Lockhart now looked at the boys, eyes glinting in a not so human manner in the darkness around him. When the two looked at each other, he laughed loudly. "Oh, isn't this just precious; well, I suppose I can teach one last lesson before the day is done. It may be your last, after all."

"Draco, what is he talking about?" Harry asked.

"Victor, what is he babbling on about? What should we know?" Draco paled as if knowing whatever it was, it wasn't going to be good.

* * *

**[A/N]**: **_MUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDA_**


	11. Chapter 11

**[A/N]**: So, this chapter cuts off a little early. But to be honest, I've been having trouble with my arm and the whole right side of my chest, so it kinda hurts to type. So I stopped at a very weird point, and this is what you get. Maybe the editor will do something with it, IDK.

Also, I apologize if I've butchered Irish, I just chucked it into Google Translate.

Finally, I actually do hope you enjoy my interpretation of what Gwydion and Arianrhod would look like if they existed in the HP universe I created.

**[E/N]:** Gah, so much to edit and so little time! I myself was down and out with a jaw pain that won't be fixed for another week, but here we are at the final threshold of this chapter. After this we probably got one or two left, actually…

Also, Writer, all in favor of making Book 3 VERY SHORT since nothing big really happens since we changed it all already? Yes? Maybe? Okay.

Harry Potter and Second the Careless Whispers

Tricky Fae and Secrets Exposed (Oh god, that's gross)

A low humming sound filled the chamber, almost as if someone was chuckling from within their throat. But soon enough, the noise echoed all around Harry and everyone else present as multilayered chattering that sounded as if some otherworldy creature was _laughing_. Harry turned to see if Victor may know where the sound might be located, or to get verification that it was indeed a part of Lockhart's trickery as he thought at the moment...but that all dissipated as the boy laid his eyes on the Uncle of Polina that he just met. The tall, darkly dressed, and mysterious man held a frozen visage; a smile comprised of entirely too much teeth that only _just_ met the criteria for a human smile.

It seemed in that moment that Draco also noticed, as the two, in unison, took a step back towards the direction of the decidedly less dangerous Gilderoy Lockhart. From their vantage point, the two couldn't see how Lockhart was wearing a face just as terrifying, his eyes glinting madly in the dark crevice he hid in as a Cheshire grin warped his features. In a cackling, broken voice he said, "I _knew _it! I knew something was _wrong_ with all of you! Ever since I mastered my craft and gazed into the abyss, I _knew_ _it!_" In those seemingly long moments since Lockhart began to speak, Draco raised his wand and pointed it at Victor defensively, his face paling. Harry meanwhile decided to rush over and protect Polina, as that was their original mission. Seeing the boy run off, Gilderoy waved his wand and wordlessly cast something at Harry, who would immedietly realize that he indeed was running but not moving at all; the entire chamber was expanding exponentially, with Polina moving away from him the more he tried to move towards her based on the speed he was going. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Harry. She's _one of them_."

Draco forgot about Victor and turned to level his wand towards Gilderoy with a narrowed glare. "One of _who_?"

"Not a who!" Gilderoy screeched. "A _what_! They are things beyond mortal ken, things that _shouldn't_ exist, but defy all reason to meddle as they please!"

Harry stopped running and turned towards Gilderoy, which ended up making him get some form of whiplash thanks to the room suddenly not elongating immediately after he turned. "I don't know _what_ you're talking about, and frankly I don't care; Polina is my friend, so I'm taking her away from here."

Victor smiled wider and began tossing Phil up and down in rythum. "I dunno bruv, maybe you should listen to him. And stop ignoring Phil, he's getting upset."

The chittering sound filled the chamber again, and despite himself Harry turned to look at the rock Victor was playing with. Now that he looked at it, it looked suspiciously like… Harry paled. "No. That is...How?"

"Polina, of course!" Victor beamed. "Such a good niece, we have. I asked her to pick it up for me."

Gilderoy wheezed, "Tell them _creature._ Tell them _why!_ Tell them what I know so they can understand!"

Victor shrugged. "It makes a nice centerpiece for my office _and_ a great paperweight for all the unfinished work I need to keep track of."

Draco put the pieces together so quick Hermione would have been proud if she was present. "The Philosopher's Stone…is just a fancy rock?"

A snarl left the madman's throat. "No, you foolish boy! The Philosopher's Stone is a powerful magical artifact that grants eternal life and eternal wealth! He just _doesn't _care for that." His features schooled themselves immediately. "Or rather…he has no _use_ for it besides a fancy paperweight. He already _has_ that. They _all_ do. Isn't that right?"

Victor looked off to the side, looking entirely bored. "Meh, age is just a concept. We usually ignore that. And wealth…eh, we got our own place that is just the perfect amount of opulence. A little more than most, but not too much."

Harry frowned and Draco lowered his wand seeing that no one was going to fight just yet. And as much as he cared for Polina, she wasn't in danger at the moment and he felt like he needed to know what's going on. They both did. Draco nodded to Harry to let him take the lead. So he did: "Time isn't something you can ignore, whatever you are. Even vampires age, mummies age, everything immortal still ages."

Gilderoy broke unto a fit of laughter. "No no no no no no! He means that _literally_! To them, age is _literally_ a concept! An afterthought! They choose the age they want to be, then age at the rate they _feel_ like! Your dear Polina's "Uncle Zaine" hasn't aged a _second_ past that 'unexplained magical accident involving an anti-aging potion', and your precious betrothed has been ten years old for twenty years! She _chose_ when to go to Hogwarts just like she _chose_ to age past one more year to fool you all!"

Victor shrugged. "She filled out the proper forms, I don't see why you got so worked up over this. I mean, all everyone has to do is fill in the paperwork for aging, right?" He looked honestly confused.

A giggle replaced Gilderoy's laugh. "No, that's just a birth certificate. It's _impossible_ to choose the rate you age!"

Victor blinked. "No shit? Meh…our way works and it's too much trouble to change protocol, so I'm not changing it."

Draco took a step towards Harry, who stood there unmoving. "Okay…so…magical creature that doesn't age and who also doesn't really understand wiz…human existence while simultaneously having the power to drive a person absolutely mental. Sounds like standard Polina so far..."

Gilderoy snarled and whipped his wand towards the boys, who suddenly found themselves standing sideways on nothing. "They didn't _cause _my madness. This...it is a result of learning what they are, _and what __they've done_!"

Victor waved Phil and the boys found themselves on solid ground again. Harry decided that since Victor didn't seem _against _them, and Gilderoy was against Polina, he could work past whatever Victor actually was. For the time being. Draco however could not; he still felt like he needed to know. "What is he…What are _they_?" Draco cast a wary eye towards Polina, an action that Harry missed entirely.

The madman cackled. "To understand what they are, you need to understand how I discovered the truth." He waved his wand and off in the corner, a younger looking Lockhart appeared reading a very old and very ancient tome. Both versions of him spoke at the same time: "I was studying tomes on illusionary magic to practice in hopes of heightening my craft, when I stumbled across this book. It was a fascinating read you see, written by me." The illusionary Gilderoy turned towards his audience and winked. "Only I hadn't written it _yet_, as it was dated several years into the future."

Draco and Harry both blinked. Victor merely rolled his eyes. Phil sat there, mesmerized by the tale.

"At first I was amazed." The Lockhart now pacing on the bust of Salazar exclaimed. "Time magic! I had mastered time magic and sent my notes back to myself! Only…"

The illusionary Lockhart disappeared and was replaced by an older version, closer to the real one but still about two years younger. The scene around them now changed to a dark and forboding scene complete with the man in question performing some strange ritual. The real Gilderoy snarled then, finger pointed back to Victor with eyes blazing like fire. "Only it _wasn't_ time magic I had 'mastered'; no, it was the pinnacle of illusionary magics! I used that ritual to accomplish something great that no other wizard has done before or since: 'piercing the veil'. It was _obviously_ piercing the veil of time, I thought…only it wasn't. It was piercing the veil of _lies_, the lie that _they_ created!"

Now the fake Gilderoy had completed the ritual, his bounding excitement coming to a grinding halt as fear overtook him while a hole literally began tearing through known reality. He stared for a second before, realizing nothing was happening, his face turned to one of curiosity. It was then that Gilderoy Lockhart of the past peered into the void. And then he went still.

Lockhart in the present time chuckled. "Do you know what I saw? I saw a world where they didn't exist." His attention now turned to Harry, eyes focused on the scar The Boy Who Lived sported like a badge of honor. And it was then that his voice took a more somber tone, "I saw everything that happened to this world from the second that Voldemort killed Harry's parents all the way to the moment Harry Potter was free of his curse and sent off his children to school in the far future." Harry felt his eyes widen the same moment his heart stopped beating for a few seconds. He literally felt like in that glimmer of time, he had transcended unto something far past his mortal coil. Everything Gilderoy had told him seemed to be real in his mind's eye...so real he could almost… But that feeling disappeared when Lockhart broke his gaze to stare daggers into Victor again, fuming at the mouth. "Then I saw _them_. I saw them watching that same world and _making a new one. _One where they could interfere freely."

The illusionary Lockhart started screaming as the very fabric of reality, the one he knew and the one laid before him in the wormhole, started shifting around him. And then the vision was gone as if someone snuffed out a candle before bed.

Harry blinked. "What do you mean they 'created' this world? Are you saying they are…"

"**Not gods**!" Gilderoy screeched, hands gripping the edge of Salazar's bust as he leaned so far forward he almost fell off. "Worse! Abominations of all things beyond that of time! Beyond space! Creatures born of **the Void** possessing powers beyond imaginations!"

Victor giggled humanly this time. He waved his hand and a fin popped up from the ground that he then hoped over as if it were a thrilling round of hop scotch. "Visual metaphor!" He chirped.

"Do you see?!" Gilderoy grabbed his hair and pulled. "This is all a _joke_ to them! A game to play! Lives have been ruined, people have died, this whole world was rearranged for them to _do whatever_ they pleased! Even now, I reveal it to be a thing from beyond this world and it _laughs_! I saw you boys! You were _happy_ at the end! The world may have been worse off, but it was _free_! Free of them! Free from malignant creatures who toy with our lives as if we were dolls!"

Suddenly, like a switch was flipped, he calmed down. "I spent a week wallowing in madness and misery. Then I decided: I would free this world from their grasp. I would ascend to their level and drive them from this existence, not killing no, they can't be killed…But cut their aspiritions and their unblinking gaze?" He glared and started pulling objects from his robe. "That I can do…"

Draco blinked. "I've seen that stuff in Professor Zaine's office…"

Gilderoy kept pulling the objects from his robe and began laying them out in seemingly random ways. "Items that passively absorbed his energy for _years__..._it may not be enough, but that's what the younger one is for…I can pull her energy and make it my own…"

Harry frowned. "That doesn't sound like it would be good for her."

Victor shrugged from where he stood the entire time. "She'll be fine; even if he succeeds, which is entirely possible, she'll just be down and out for a couple centuries. We'll probably have to pack up shop if he does though."

Harry turned towards Victor. "Aren't you going to stop him then? Use your, er, 'Void god' powers and prevent him from stealing Polina's power and putting her in a coma for that long?"

The man snorted and crossed his arms. "Not at all. If he ascends, all he'd have to do is fill out the right paperwork and we'll leave peacefully. We all decided to follow the rules, and _that_ means no going all Void God or whatever and adhere to strictly enforced power levels. That was Zaine's idea, mostly, and it has stuck since for reasons. Everything he's doing isn't enough to warrant breaking those rules. And as for Polina…" He lowered his arms and shrugged. "She'll have learned a valuable lesson on not letting you mortals enact plots to steal her power. Favorite niece or no, actions have consequences."

Draco, who had been silent the whole time until now, trembled. "Was it all a lie then? Everything I feel, is that just a game?!" He screamed and began hurling spells at Victor, who calmly dodged. He was still a child after all, so the spells weren't anything to be concerned about.

"Don't be so melodramatic." Victor said with a roll of his eyes. "You still belong to Polina, I don't see how this changes anything."

Harry cocked an eyebrow. "This is all extremely interesting and I'd like to hear more about how they've messed with the world and all that, but more importantly Draco: What would Polina do if she caught wind of what you've just done, and probably thought about her?"

Draco's spell sputtered out. An eternity of thought ran past his mind in a blink of an eye before he finally turned towards a now ominously chanting Gilderoy. "I must break you," he said with quiet confidence.

But Lockhart wasn't paying attention; he had finished setting the objects down, and if they saw it from above, the configuration still wouldn't have made sense. If they were seventh-years and more knowledgeable about rituals, it would've made _less_ sense. Which, ironically, is why it worked for what Gilderoy wanted to accomplish.

The madman then began chanting and started to rise in the air, and in that exact moment Harry's reality snapped. He found himself standing next to Polina's prone form. Draco meanwhile felt the same effect and blinked as he was now closer to Lockhart than Polina, so he immediately rushed over to her. Victor sniffed and looked around the room warily while Phil found himself 0.86 centimeters to the left of where he _should_ have been.

Gilderoy's form began to twist and bend in on itself violently, the chanting reaching a crescendo as a form slowly formed over him, hovering and glinting in and out of existence. When Draco looked upon the once new teacher of Hogwarts, he saw a trickster…or was it a warrior? An animal? All three at once, one at a time? It hurt to look at, but no matter what he saw and _didn't_ see, Draco saw the figure hovering protectively over Lockhart and glaring _murderously_ at Victor, who had filled the chamber with chattering laughter again.

Harry tried to crouch protectively over Polina as wind started sweeping through the Chamber, moving to envelope Lockhart like a small dust devil; slowly at first, then moving faster, and faster.

Phil noticed nothing. He was a rock.

Gilderoy's chanting broke into a broken laughter of madness. The winds whipping around him increased to an almost blade-like quality, or perhaps a whip? Harry wasn't sure. All he knew was that looking at Gilderoy was starting to make the pain increase rapidly, and the gleeful cackles now grated his ears. "I've done it!" Lockhart shouted over the winds, his eyes cast up to the ethereal form above him. "D'you hear that Gwydion?! I've ascended! I can feel it!" The form around Lockhart starting flickering. In its eyes, triumph replaced murderous intent.

Victor however, simply gazed at all this with a calm smile. "Yes, you have. Well done old boy, I'm very proud of you!" He gave a few moments to clap before turning his head to look at Harry and Draco. "Ah, I see you still do not understand what is transpiring. I suppose I can divulge your interests for a few mere moments longer: I was beginning to get jealous of you, you see." At the proper reaction to this news as one would expect, Victor gave a casual shrug, continuing. "Being what we are, we don't often get people to oppose us. Worship? Sure. Deny? Plenty. But an active antagonist that is _actually_ a credible threat? We have zero supply in that department. Sure other beings, both mortal and those claiming to be above it, have tried their best, but either one of my compatriots, and dare I say even myself, have swept the board clean and taken our winnings time and time again." His gaze now focused entirely on Lockhart and his new companion, dark eyes burning with their own gleeful madness. "But this. This feeling of an actual threat to make me work for my meal...to make my troublesome existence even more bothersome to the point where I begin to reshape it as a fun excursion, as a way to pass the time like one picks up a fun new hobby that never gets old? Oh yes. This worked exactly as I planned it."

Draco paled. "What do you mean _planned for_?"

Lockhart gasped, "No! No you can't! I'm to free this world from you! I'm not a pawn for you to use!" The winds kept building up as his voice reached ear-splitting screech levels.

"Don't be ridiculous." Victor snorted, tossing Phil up and down. "Of _course_ you are. Who d'you think sent you that ritual book? And that future version of yourself? Please, you still have it in your possession and you don't plan on sending it back anytime soon. You are more like a child who took a book from the library and never planned to pay the late fees or give it back, hoping that one day they just forget the book even existed or someone erases it from the ledger so you never have to give it back at all!" He laughed loudly, the sound louder than the winds and everything else in the room yet also silent enough to evoke a whisper in your ear. "You little creatures are so amusing! To confirm your own 'greatness', you'll believe everything. Yet while you bask in that greatness, you all are still playthings when we who live beyond the boundaries of time and space decide to meddle in your affairs!"

The form around Lockhart shuddered and leaned in to whisper in Lockhart's ear as Victor continued his amused laughter, and whatever it was the form spoke calmed Gilderoy down almost immediately. "Yes…yes you're right Gwydion. Whether or not you gave me this power, it's still mine to wield. You would do well not to mock me, Old One. For I still have the _choice_ to banish you here and now!"

Victor's laughter now became a fit of mumbled chuckles. "Yes, that's right. But, well it really doesn't matter, because you seem to have forgotten something in all this commotion."

The form around Lockhart shuddered again, and the man himself sneered. "And what, pray _tell_, did I forget."

The chuckling stopped. Victor's face now read one of stone cold resentment, a sigh leaving his lips as he caught Phil one last time. "In your haste, you forgot to anchor your form to this world. Seriously, you newborns always raise such a fuss." Without warning he threw Phil straight at Lockhart. Unfortunately, the form circling him caught it deftly and handed it over to the madman. However, this seemed to be yet another of Victor's plans coming to fruition, as Lockhart only had enough time to manage a "what?" before Phil shone brighter than he ever did, and Victor's chittering laugh began to pierce Harry and Draco's ears. On instinct, Harry held Polina tighter as she began shivering.

Suddenly, the Chamber of Secrets became a quiet forest with crisp cool air calmly blowing around all present. Harry paid no mind, as his eyes were tightly closed and all thoughts focused on protecting Polina. Draco meanwhile was focused on other matters entirely, as he was the first to take in a new being that had materialized since appearing in this new Realm. First and foremost, it was most definitely a _He_. Large muscles, and so very _tall_. Just from the torso and arms, it was a human. However, it's head was that of a stag with massive antlers branching all different ways, and yet still aiming at whatever direction the creature was looking so it hurt Draco's brain to look at. The legs seemed to made of intertwining wood and flowers that dripped a liquid that alternated between sap and blood almost at random.

"Is féidir go mbeidh cumhacht agat i do réimse, créatúr." The massive horned creature glared at Victor, brandishing an axe in one hand and a cape in the other. "Seo, áfach, is é seo mo réimse. Anseo gheobhaidh tú defeat. Troid liom!1"

Victor responded by continuing to stand there, smiling serenely. "Ní dóigh liomsa, Gwydion." He reached down to pick up a softly glowing rock that Draco knew for a _fact_ wasn't there before he bent down. "Cá bhfuil an rud beag a leanann tú thart ar nós cuimilte?2"

Suddenly, and rather violently, Harry was kicked off Polina by an unseen force at the same moment Polina started levitating. Victor smirked and was about to comment on this, when a feminine, wailing screech interrupted him. It seemed the Old One recognized the voice, paleing considerably before groaning and appearing despondent. As a massive dark root suddenly shot out of the ground and wrapped around a now apparent invisible figure tightly, a second that was a lighter shade picked up Polina, almost lovingly, and made its best attempts to cocoon her. Harry groaned and rose from where he had been kicked and scrambled for his wand, pointing it in the direction of the trapped figure.

"I was wondering when you'd join us." Victor said in a calm manner, though he was rubbing the spot under his right ear with a wince. "Thought your 'network' was quicker than mine."

Footsteps made the boys turn as the assistant to Madame Pomfry, Valka, now entered the forest. Vines and roots from the earth began to coil and writhe into existence with each step she took. A few of the vines grew buds that then bloomed into carnivorous-looking Orchids and Violets. Unseen wind blew her hair and feathers around her. Her eyes, to the boys shocked expressions, were pure blue sclera; no pupils or iris. Dark green veins spider webbed from her lower eyelids down to the middle of her face.

"A-Aunt Valka?" Draco asked, growing terrified as she stopped beside Victor. He quickly decided the safest place to be was beside his friend, one he _knew_ wasn't some…well, he didn't wasn't to think about it. As he hoisted Harry to his feet and supported him with a shoulder, Harry looked at his friend with a 'did you know she could do that' expression, tinged with pain.

"What have you done to Polina, _Gwyddie_?" Valka asked with venom in her voice.

The deer/man/plant thing sneered. "You and your kind don't belong on this world. We will purge all your kind from here! The whelp will lie as still as she is until she is _banished_!"

Victor winced again, though this one wasn't from pain. "Shouldn't have said that."

"We have _every right_ to be here!" She yelled, the fanged flowers roaring with her. "When we're done with you, I'm turning you into fertilizer for the Tarantula Vines and give whatever is left to Ezra's creatures as dessert!"

Harry leaned on Draco, face pale, breathing somewhat heavily. "Remind me to not get on her hit list," he whispered.

The vines around the invisible thing exploded and Gilderoy finally revealed himself. It seemed that in this realm, he too was now changed: the colors on him were purer than would be natural and anything that could be perceived as an imperfection was removed. Normally such a change would cause Draco and Harry's brain to hurt, nothing could be _perfect, _ but on him it seemed to be that he was _born_ perfect, and it worked for him.. "What do you both think you can do on your own?" Lockhart challenged. "I've transcended to a fraction of your own power, have a _God_ on my side, and you have limited yourselves to only as much power as Voldemort!"

Victor started laughing like a drunken hyena at Lockhart's crowing, holding Phil up and talking to it directly now. "Like Riddle?! Oh, that's a good one! You heard that, right Phil?! Priceless! Why I'd-" Valka coughed to get his attention and gave him a pointed look. A look that made him calm down and straighten up and put 'Phil' in his pocket. "Ahem. Yes, well…that seems _debatable_. The man wasn't as powerful as people make him out to be, and we're not exactly powerless, nor _alone_, so we definitely have more of a chance than most, even limited as we are."

Gwydion growled. "Gilderoy's power was enough to turn illusion into reality, to give shape to the shapeless." He raised his axe high. "You are mere two powerful wizards followed by two _whelps_. You are hindered further by the need to protect one of your own. You face a truly enlightened one and a true Fae. You _cannot_ win."

Valka frowned and the vines holding Polina tightened protectively. Victor giggled. "True, but I know something that will even the odds a bit."

Gilderoy frowned, slight amusement on his face…as worry creased his brow. "What could you possibly…?"

As if on cue, Zaine Statera burst in from behind the trees. He looked rather beat up, and his clothes were in disarray and torn, but he stood as tall as the rest even with blood dripping from a few places. Without taking a moment to breathe, Zaine reared back and roared like a feral beast Harry and Draco had never witnessed before, all his malice and vengeful fury locked on to one single being. "_**LOCKHAAAAART!**_"

Seeing the newest challenger to his power, Gilderory's eyes narrowed. "You!"

Valka looked over to the blond, annoyance on her face. "Brother."

Zaine blinked and, upon seeing Valka, paled even more than Victor did. "S-Sister?"

Draco eyed Zaine warily. "Uncle Zaine?"

Zaine looked at Draco, a little hurt. "Et tu, Draco?"

Harry frowned at Victor. How could he have predicted _this_? "Victor?"

Victor looked at Harry and smiled. "Harry!"

Phil remained in Victor's pocket.

Zaine shook his head quickly and resumed to seethe rage at the madman. "Enough of this, do you have _any_ idea what you've done?!"

Gilderoy cocked an eyebrow. "I have attained enough power to drive you from this world. That's all that matters to me."

The blond grit his teeth angrily, his whole body shaking in rage as his damaged eye began to ebb a blood red glow slightly. "No, you _foolish, selfish bastard_! Do you have _any idea_ the amount of paperwork that needs to be filled out for shit like this? Just because you've ascended doesn't mean you are exempt from our policies. And on that note," He turned to a Victor, who was grinning like an idiot who knew he did something wrong and was getting away with it, "How **DARE** you think you can just add in variables that could foil all our hard work and eons of planning this whole shit out without even giving us the _decency to tell us first_! You are more of selfish prick than the manbearpigmoose and his pubescent squire! You _callous_-"

Lockart frowned, cutting him off with a wave of a hand "I'm fully aware of what must be done, and the paperwork has _already_ been filed."

That statement made Zaine and the other non-mortal beings present turn their attention back to Lockhart. Harry spoke up with a frown. "You mean...you already won? They have to leave? Polina's…just going to be gone?"

Draco's heart clenched, but he said nothing.

Victor waved off his concerns. "No, the paperwork to make us leave is just part one. Part two requires us to be defeated in battle."

Zaine slowly relaxed enough to where his body wasn't shaking, nodding in agreement. "Yep. Of course, we're limited to only the power we've gained ourselves, and since whatever ritual he used is _technically_ something he's gained himself in this reality, he's entitled to…C**rap**."

Harry bit his lip. "So…just beat him and everything goes back to normal? No more…no more Void God Lockhart?"

Valka snarled at the name of their newest foe. Victor, deciding to be the one to reply, smiled at Harry. "Nope! Time isn't a concept we subscribe to. Gildory is a Void God, and from the moment he became one, he's always _been_ one and always _will be_. I couldn't change that even at my most powerful…well I mean I probably could, but I can't right now so it's pointless to argue about it. Besides, we have some fighting to do; Gwydion has been locked in a battle of wills with Valka since we started foolishly talking instead of, you know, fighting."

Harry blinked, threw himself to the floor, and cast a spell at the legs of Gwydion. "Diffindo!" A pale green light flew from his wand right into the God's legs…only for nothing to happen.

Gilderoy smiled. "Clever boy, smart use of spells! On any other being with plant-like legs, that would have worked, take ten points young man."

Harry laid there confused. His spell had _zero_ effect which, okay, Lockhart had a point, but then the guy still acted like his teacher…

As if sensing this, Gilderoy nodded. "Of course I still act like your teacher, Harry. I _am_. Once this business is done, I intend to take you both under my wing. I know you've formed a bond with Polina, and with my help you will still _see_ her. I just can't allow them to meddle in our affairs any more than they already have."

Harry got up. For some reason, one question above all else forced itself into the front of his conscious "My mother's in a coma…could you?"

Gilderoy nodded and started to speak, but Victor interrupted him immediately. "_We_ can do it too, you know. We're very close to a cure for her _magical_ coma, we just don't plan on cheating like most people with amazing powers would. I, as well as every other I call a comrade in this endeavor, could go on and on about which side you should choose based on what we each have to offer when it comes to the greatest amount of happiness or however you'd like to do things, blah blah blah. However, the choice is not ours to make at this moment. So allow me to present you with this: You boys stand here with literally nothing to lose on either side. Join us, and we'll continue to 'meddle' in this world as we please, mostly benevolent, but you have no sure way of knowing how extreme the changes will be or when they will happen for reasons beyond your timeline's comprehension. Join _them_, and this world will be free from us; we'll no longer shape events as we please, the bad _and_ the good. Either way, you'll still get to hang out with all of us, the only difference is _where and how_…" He smiled at the boys, and Gilderoy started to wonder what Victor was up to. "The simple fact remains…you are children. Choose impulsively but do choose quickly."

Here and now, Harry knew that no matter how cordially Victor addressed them, no matter how kind he was, he was _infinitely_ more frightening to deal with than Gilderoy or the God that stood before them. The Old One gave no indication which one was the right answer nor which one that he believed was the best choice, he only saw things in terms of how much it could _entertain_ _him and the other presumable Deities_.

Gilderoy was right, he needed Victor gone…

Harry drew himself up and prepared the decision that could change the world… "I'll side with you, Victor, for now. I can't abandon Polina, I can't force Draco to leave her…and I'd miss Professor Zaine. You, though…I think I despise you." For good measure, he threw an Incendio at Victor, who batted the flames away with casual ease, still smiling.

Gilderoy sighed. "I see. I had hoped…never mind, you'll soon see the light…"

And all light vanished as if snuffed like a candle. Nothing was visible, and Harry drew in a deep breath. "Lumos!" He shouted and pumped as much magic as he could threw his wand. To absolutely no effect whatsoever.

Valka sighed. "Don't bother, either of you. The world isn't dark; _Lockhart_ merely took away our ability to perceive it. Zaine, do something would you?"

"Normally I would love nothing more than to get this over with as quickly as possible. Though, due to the limitations we put on ourselves so we do not hack the system and get reported as cheating godmodders, he is above my current level." Zaine spat on the ground angrily. A loud coughing caught his attention and he sighed heavily. "Fiiiiine, do whatever you need to do Victor."

Gilderoy and Gwydion made themselves clear in the dark as Victor responded. "I've got Lockhart's magical anchor with me, the one he accidentally bound a small amount of his powers to." He smugly held up Phil, who was the only other object visible in the darkness as it pulsed a soft ruby light. "Can't do much, but at least we can see them now. Just start casting and try not to move further than five feet from where you stand now."

"Enough talk!" Gwydion shouted impatiantly, "Have at you, curs!"

As Gwydion lowered his horns and began charging, Valka growled. "You may take my sight, but you can't take the bond with my Orchids!" The creature was flung to the side by nothing that Harry could see. Not that it matters, as he had two targets now. Without thinking too much on much of anything, he decided to start casting every spell he was taught, this year and the last. Gilderoy's form twisted about, each spell of Harry's missing. Harry couldn't tell if Lockhart was dodging and making it look like his body twisted about in impossible ways, or if he really _did_.

Draco took his cue from Harry and also casted randomly. "What-are-we-doing?!" He yelled in-between his spells.

"Being-a-nuisance!" Harry yelled back.

§Speak to me Slyterin!§ Victor hissed in Parseltongue.

Zaine joined the two boys in throwing spells about, trying to catch Gilderoy off guard. "What-are-you-doi-whoa!" Gwydion was launched over from a random location, from what he could guess, and almost hit Zaine, landing a few feet from where the blond had previously stood.

Victor giggled, but threw no spells nor did anything else. "The thing I mentioned earlier to even the odds? It wasn't you two, or Valka, and as much of an amusing idea as it would be _no one_ can plan for Zaine..." A sudden rumbling caught everyone's attention, the nothing beneath their feet shifting as something large made its way to their location. Harry stopped casting so he wouldn't hit anyone else, just in time to feel something scaly rub against his arm. To answer anyone asking, Victor grinned and tapped the side of his head with two fingers in a smug way. "The _Basilisk _that resides here in the Chamber of Secrets, however? That, I can plan for. No matter where it is we look like we are, our physical location hasn't changed."

Lockhart returned the smug look tenfold. "The gaze of a Basilisk can't stop me, and poison is off the table as well."

Gwydion punched something and smiled maliciously. Valka had been hit, but she quickly stood back up and renewed her attack.

Victor's smile was _heard_. "You performed your ritual on top of her nest. She is now a monster whose power is attuned _specifically_ to Void Creatures. She can't kill us, sure…but she can hurt us."

Gilderoy snarled. "Then her power will work the same on you!"

"Oh yes." Victor agreed. "For a while anyway, it's only **borrowed** power, after all."

Harry knew siding with Victor was the smart choice then and there. He planned for an enemy to work against him…and planned around the plan they had planned to win.

"We can still win!" Gwydion roared. "Gilderoy! Vainglorious!"

Lockhart's eyes flashed, and he waved his hand. The room soon filled with clones of Lockharts and Gwydions.

"Uh oh." Victor sounded worried.

Harry heard a slithering and decided to help as much as he could. §Uh, miss? Please hurt the perfect man and the God Gwydion…please?§

His face tickled. The Basilisk was licking him. _The Basilisk was licking him._

§Stay still hatchling!§ He heard. §You're absolutely _filthy_!§

The Basilisk was mothering him. Harry did not know how to handle this.

Victor sighed. §Excuse me, Bessy?§

Harry no longer felt the tongue of the Basilisk. He still did not know how to handle this. Also: BESSY?

§Yes?§

§Terribly sorry about the rude wake up, but we're in a bit of a pickle here.§ Victor hissed. §The, as the hatchling said, perfect man and God intended are his enemies, currently. They want to remove his friend from the school, and probably move on to other students as well, Slytherin or otherwise.§

§What!?§ The Basilisk hissed loudly. §They seek to remove a hatchling from _my_ nest?!§

Well, at least the Basilisk is friendly…_The Basilisk is friendly_.

Multiple Gwydion's were hacking away at something and Valka was growling while they were doing it. Suddenly, about four Gilderoys popped out of existence from Harry's point of view. "Bugger, she really _can_ hurt me…"

One of the Lockharts sighed. Another one shrugged. "We still outnumber them. Voyages with Vampires?" He asked one of the Lockharts.

A third one nodded. "A novel experience, being the one to outnumber the enemy."

The one furthest away yelled, "Wut?!"

And Harry decided the world had gone mad. Friendly Basilisks, Void Gods, Polina being like thirty or something, it was too much. So, he tucked his wand in his pocket, and decided that if his spells were ineffective and he couldn't beat them…he'd join them. "Alright chums, let's do this! _**Harryyyyyyyyyy! Potteeeerrrrrr!**_" He yelled and ran straight towards the gaggle of Gilderoys.

Zaine, who was near Harry when this happened, stared at the sight proudly with a large grin on his face. Draco, who was the first to hear the war cry, simply blinked and stated, "Oh my god, he just ran in. Again."

Harry rushed the swarm of Lockharts and when he did, he felt something he hadn't since his first year when he jumped on the back of a troll. He pulled on that feeling as hard as he could, a decidedly odd sensation, and when he did his speed increased tremendously.

"Joy," Gilderoy 14 deadpanned. "He's an Arcane Warrior." And then he was punched in the face by a twelve year old boy who just started flailing his limbs to try and hit as many Gilderoys as he could. He took out four more before he was subdued, and then was almost immediately freed by Bessy the Basilisk, who made her displeasure known by eliminating several more Gilderoys.

Zaine yelled out to Draco, straining against a Gwydion. "Draco, if you could, please stop standing there and _do something!_"

Draco took one look at Harry and came to the same conclusion he did. So, he did what he thought was natural; he bent down to feel for a sufficiently pointy rock, found one, and sliced his hand open.

Gilderoy 27 frowned. "A Blood Mage then? Both of you so soon?"

Draco waved a hand over his blood and went with his guts. He turned towards the group of Gwydions and frowned. He spoke a single name. "_Arianrhod_."

All the Gwydions stood stock still and turned to look at Draco with almost but not quite fear. Lockhart, we lost count at this point, sighed. "Not a Blood Mage then, an Outcast Druid. Just. Bloody. Great." He said and was punched out of existence by a flailing Harry Potter aided by a Basilisk.

Suddenly, a silver wheel materialized in the darkness, its presence literally stopping everyone mid-way of whatever they were doing. From in-between two of the spokes stepped a beautiful woman with long flowing white hair, a beautiful silver dress etched like the night sky, and legs that were…that were made of rocks and with every step seemed to bring forth and take away water.

"Deartháir4…" She said, looking at one Gwydion in particular. The REAL Gwydion. "You don't call, you don't write, I'm beginning to think you're _avoiding_ me…but that can't be it…**can it**?" She hissed.

"Deirfiúr5~." The overly powerful God whined like a child. "You know it isn't like that! I'm working to end the threat of these otherworldly things!"

Arianrhod growled. "Don't you try and twist things! You just want more glory for your tales, more power for yourself, more stories to entertain! Now, be a good lad and _Stad Airm Atá Ag Sciath_3."

All versions of Gwydion dropped the ax, the real one growling. "I can still use my magic, all you've done is take away one of my weapons!"

Arianrhod laughed. "That may be," she said as she grabbed the wheel spinning behind her. "But I have a weapon, you are unarmed, and I have more Tynged to give you!" She leapt towards Gwydion, who lept at her in return.

Victor overlooked the battlefield, as much as he could see that is, with great pride. Everything he wanted to accomplish and more…in less than an hour. Harry and Draco attaining the power needed to back each other up, Harry at the front and Draco neutralizing support. The reinstatement of the Guardian of the School. An antagonist to play with…and Phil of course, can't forget Phil. Of course, there's one thing he knows that no one else does… The euphoria one feels from the unexpected! Why meddle in everything, when you can just start a scenario and then _run with it_? Just the mere thought of how left field things turned in such a quick fashion brought the most pleasured expression Victor loved to feel, second to the feeling of conquest and seeing plots come to fruition after playing the long game instead of doing things the easy way. Stupid Lockhart and his ridiculousness...they don't have a _plan._ They don't know what comes _next._ The only thing they know is only that things keep coming!

With a soft giggle, so soft none could hear him, he turned around and started walking. He hit the edge of darkness, and soon enough he was in the woods. He kept walking, and he was back in the Chamber, and behind him was the woods. He kept walking. Valka and Zaine had it covered. He needed to do _one last thing_ this year…

He pulled out a mirror and tapped it. "Yo, Vee!"

Vgatahvi's face appeared in the mirror. "Aye, Victor?" He asked. "How goes the little excursion?"

Victor smiled. "Little bummed you didn't join in as well, but I know one of us have to keep meddlers at bay. I have something I need to do, would you mind letting Pomfry know that she'll have, lessee…six patients to deal with? Oh, and ask Brad to bring me the FPY paperwork?"

The bearded giant scowled. "Victor…is it serious?" He growled.

Victor waved him off. "The only one playing for keeps are the boys, at best Pomfry should be prepared for scrapes and exhaustion. At worst, a broken bone or two. Maybe a concussion."

Vgatahvi frowned. "If you say so…"

Victor, completely unprompted, growled menacingly. "_**I **__**do**_ _**say so!**_" He stilled, rolled his shoulders back and smiled cordially again. "Gilderoy himself said he wouldn't hurt them, he plans to make them his apprentices should he win. And Draco managed to neutralize Gwydion, so it'll be fine."

The other wasn't fazed by the sudden change in the Old One, merely giving a guffaw. "Well shiiiiit, it sounds this is all caught, deep fried, and lathered in barbecue sauce! Rock on, brochacho!"

A scrunch of Victor's nose. "What is with you and BBQ sauce, Vee?"

Vgathavi grinned. "You of all people know it is damn delicious."

"It is, yes." Victor said dreamily, now craving something smothered in a nice BBQ sauce.

"Right?!" Vee said eagerly. "My waifus have been wondering what sorts of new things to try. I'm also thinking hot sauce. You think hot sauce would work?" Vee grinned, knowing he had already thought of it.

"Eh...hot sauce is too bland for my palette. Besides, if one is to eat something, it must be seasoned well." Victor replied.

A moment of silence before a loud laugh came from the mirror as Vee laughed so hard he cried. Victor, finally realizing why the laughing started, gave a look.

"Daaaaamn I wasn't gonna go THAT far! Hoooly shit!" Vee wheezed.

"I thought we were talking about eating, not pleasure. Be more specific next time." Victor huffed...but after a moment he made his voice quiet. "I'm writing that one down though, thank you."

Vgathavi wiped a few tears away, still chuckling uncontrollably. "Yeah, yeah. Anytime, man. Anyways, lemme get on that thing you wanted me to do. Better than just sitting here with nothing to do since everyone is running around doing shit."

And with that, Vee's visage in the mirror vanished as if someone turned off a television.

1You have may power in your realm, creature. This, though, this is my realm. Here you will face defeat. Fight me!

2I think not, Gwydion. Where is the little thing that you follow around like a whelp?

3Cease wielding weapons

4Brother

5Sister


End file.
